


Wings Over Dunwall

by Cannibal_Wings



Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: Blood, Body Horror, M/M, Slow Burn, Wing AU, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-02-15 01:24:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 47,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13020321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cannibal_Wings/pseuds/Cannibal_Wings
Summary: Corvo flared his wings and nearly shouted, "And how are these supposed to make my life better?""You misunderstood," The Outsider said, his voice an ever calm even in the storm of emotions. "I never said they would make your life better or easier, only that they would make things much, much more interesting."---An AU in which The Outsider gifts Corvo a pair of wings and a new threat looms on the horizon.





	1. An Impractical Gift

There was a hum in Corvo’s ear, like a song, like a million voices chanting, like a million voices screaming, it was nothing and something all at once. It forced his eyes open and at first everything looked normal. He was laying in his bed, safe in Dunwall Tower. Moonlight filtered in through his slightly open window and his curtains moved gently with the breeze. He almost laid his head back down to sleep, but the whine and whispers of what felt like bone charms or runes ran through his head, preventing it. 

But there there shouldn’t be any of either of those things whispering in his room. He kept his bone charms locked away and they no longer called to him, they recognized him as their owner, same with his runes. The ones he hadn’t yet absorbed the power from sat silently in a box in a chest by his bed. Many people still viewed anything relating to the Outsider as black magic, as evil, they still feared it and would turn in neighbors they saw them in possession of such charms. Corvo had to be especially careful as people already believed him to be in league with the Outsider, they just had no solid proof. His exploits while removing the Lord Regent cast doubt over his humanity, simply put, he did things that weren’t humanly possible. Escaping from Coldridge being the most notable. 

His own guards would eye him like a hawk on every mission they went on. He had to use extreme restraint to make sure that he didn’t jump too high, move too fast, or accidently blink somewhere. When he was working as a shadow for the Loyalists he made expert use of the powers granted to him by the Outsider. He was able to scale walls, disappear along the roof tops and drop down from amazing heights without any injury. Sometimes he’d blink across a room simply because he could. But now he had to tone it back. He kept his left hand gloved nearly all the time and avoided using any void powers within sight of others. His bone charms he kept on a thick leather cord under his shirt and he resisted the call of any new runes or charms while out on patrol. Instead he’d make a mental note of their location and come back later alone.

He had to, or else he’d be torn from Emily once more, and that was something that Corvo refused to allow to happen. Not again, not ever again.

Sleep began to wear off of Corvo and he became aware of his surroundings. He caught a glimpse of a buoy float by and sighed. “What does he want now?” Corvo got out of bed and didn’t bother with shoes or a jacket. He opened his window all the way and stepped out into the void. He didn’t even bother checking if anything was actually underfoot because he blinked to a floating platform not too far away to survey the land. This time the void was mostly composed of pieces of the yard around Dunwall Tower. He spotted a staircase and the pavilion bobbing up and down in the distance with a trail of broken bits of wall and stone pathways. It looked like it was just his room that was pulled into the void as the rest of the building was absent, just his bedroom floating out into the void. 

Corvo shook his head and took off down the path of crumbling brickwork. At least this time the Outsider made it very obvious where he wanted to meet him. If he wasn’t at the pavilion he had no clue because besides this little trail there wasn’t a single thing for as far as his eyes could see. He even threw on his dark vision just to be sure he wasn’t missing anything. There truly wasn’t anything but the path. 

He blinked rapidly across the ground, in the Void he felt far more free than he did anywhere else, his powers worked much better too with far less strain on his body. Of course he couldn’t keep this pace up forever, eventually he’d get a splitting headache or just exhaust himself. He remembered a few times that he was pulled into the void and just repeatedly used his power until he nearly passed out. Those times the Outsider never spoke with him, but he could feel that he was there, watching. Briefly Corvo wonder if the reason why Daud had such a fine command of his skills was because he too spent time training in the void. 

“That would be a fine assumption but no,” a cold, nearly emotionless voice said from somewhere off to Corvo’s right. “Daud’s control comes from years of use, not a few training sessions.” 

“How many years are we talking here? Two? Five?” Corvo asked without looking at the Outsider, he just blinked to the next target. 

“Try seventeen.” 

That got Corvo to pause. “Seventeen? Wow.” He blinked to the next open platform. “How long will I have use of these gifts?” 

“Until you die, did I not make that clear?” 

Corvo walked to the edge of this platform and looked out to the pavilion. It seemed way further than the others. “You didn’t make a lot of things clear,” he said. “If I’m being honest you left far more questions than answers.” 

“I find it more interesting to watch you learn these things for yourself,” the Outsider said cooly. “Hmmm that last jump seems a bit far, don’t you think?” 

Corvo shrugged and concentrated his power. He could get a feel for about where he’d land, he couldn’t explain it, but it was like he could see where he would be in space before he blinked. No matter how he adjusted himself or tried he couldn’t seem to project himself to that damn pavilion. 

“If only humans could fly, huh Corvo?” 

“This power you gave me is almost like flying,” Corvo said and focused harder, the mark on his hand tingled and burned slightly more as he concentrated. He began to notice early on that the mark on his hand was never just a mark. It seemed to pulse and burn and it grew stronger as he used his powers more and more. Oddly enough he had gotten used to it, it was now a comforting feeling and he couldn’t imagine not feeling it in the background. 

“Having troubles, Corvo?” 

“Give me a minute,” he said with a growl. But the more he focused the more agitated he got. “You did this on purpose didn’t you?” The Outsider said nothing. Corvo decided to just jump for it. He knew that sometimes he could channel his blink ability while falling or jumping if he concentrated hard enough. His body fell through the void at a shocking pace and felt his control over his powers slip ever so slightly. Still he managed to picture the ground on the pavilion and perform a blink. However, instead of landing on solid ground he appeared just before the land and started to fall once more. “Shit,” Corvo swore and stuck out his hand to try to grab the surface. His hand didn’t connect with the ledge and he continued to fall again. There was one last attempt at a blink to anywhere other than his death but he couldn’t manage to focus enough to locate anything close enough to blink to.

Corvo wondered briefly what would actually happen if he died in the Void. Can you die in the void? Would he just fall forever? Wake up? 

“You’d do whatever I wanted you to do. Nothing happens here without my consent.” Corvo had stopped falling and was now floating alongside of the Outsider, like the many floating stone pieces. “If I wanted you to, then yes, you would fall forever into nothingness. A million years could pass in a single second of your world. But luckily for you, I find you interesting Corvo.” 

“Really? I thought you said nothing remarkable would happen to me, that I would die peacefully after a long life of service to Dunwall? Did something change?”

“Oh you know I can’t tell you everything, that would ruin all the fun.” 

“So there is something coming up?” Corvo frowned. He was hoping that Emily would have time to settle in before the next catastrophe struck Dunwall. They hadn’t even dealt with the rat plague yet, people were still dying in excess or fleeing for the nearest border they could bribe their way past.

The Outsider watched as Corvo’s expression hardened on his face. No doubt the man was already considering how much blood he’d have to spill to keep his daughter safe. And the Outsider had no doubt that Corvo wouldn’t spill a whole river’s worth of the stuff. He might have taken back the throne as peacefully as he could, but he was certain he’d defend it to the death. And that’s what made Corvo interesting. When he first gave him his mark he thought that the other man would take Dunwall by force but the opposite happened, he stuck to the shadows, sometimes he became the shadows, and after all was said and done the public still didn’t know who was responsible for restoring Emily to the throne. He was proving to be far more interesting than any of the others he had left with his mark.

“So why am I here?” Corvo asked. “Clearly it's not for another training session. You never make yourself known for those.”

“I'm here to give you another gift.”

The two were transported back to the floating ledge where Corvo had failed his jump. They looked across at the gazebo. “What if I refuse?”

The Outsider watched Corvo stare at the mark on his hand. “Nobody ever refuses,” he said next to Corvo’s ear. He saw Corvo shudder but he didn’t pull away. 

“Ok,” he said and took a deep breath. “Ok, I’ll accept your new gift.” He didn’t understand why the Outsider didn’t just offer up in a rune. The runes would speak to him, like the bone charms and tell him what powers they held. 

“Because this isn’t coming from a rune, this is coming from me, to you.” The Outsider’s voice was smooth as silk but there was something dark hidden behind his words.

Corvo really wished he’d stop invading his thoughts, didn’t the guy know what privacy was? He didn’t have time to comment on that before a burning sensation spread throughout his back. It felt like the mark did when it first appeared on the flesh of his hand. The heat spread quickly down his back and penetrated deep into his spine. “What the...hell?” Corvo gasped and fell to one knee. The pain was way more advanced than when he got his mark from the Outsider. 

Then as soon as it started it was all over and he was left gasping. “Yes, those will do nicely,” the Outsider said. 

“What will do nicely?” Corvo said trying to catch his breath. He wasn't entirely sure what had just happened.

“Why your wings of course.” 

“Wings?” Corvo stood up on unsteady legs. He looked over his shoulder and there they were, wings made of void and shadows. “What… why?” 

“Try reaching that platform now,” The Outsider said, dismissing his question. “Do not fear, it should be like teleporting, it’ll come naturally. If you fail I will catch you.” 

Corvo shot him a look and stood at the edge once more. His concentration wasn’t the best, his back was still tingling and it picked at his mind. The mark on his hand glowed as he concentrated. He blinked and like before came up a few feet short, he started to fall then it was like the Outsider said and he felt a rush of air as his new wings beat down out of instinct propelling him up and onto the ledge. “Well, that was something…” 

The Outsider materialized out at his side. “What do you think? Do you like it?” 

“It’s…” Corvo glanced behind him again. He waved one and noticed that it moved and felt like an arm. “It’s… interesting,” he decided on finally.

“That was the goal, to make it interesting.” 

“Are they… can I make them go away?” He asked. He was thinking about how he was supposed to hide glowing void wings. 

“I can sense you aren’t pleased.” 

“I… I just don’t see how much use they’ll be. You already gave me blink and that can get me to just about anywhere I need to go. I don’t see how these void wings will help matters.” Corvo shrugged and said, “They're far too mystical, they reek of black magic and the glow will be near impossible to hide.”

The Outsider paused to think. “Well if the Void is the problem then let's make them flesh and blood.” 

Corvo tried to interject, “No I don’t think-” This time when the pain came it was visceral. He couldn’t stop himself from screaming as his legs buckled and he fell to the ground. Unlike the void wings that burned and materialized from the Void itself, these pushed forth from his back and split skin as they erupted. Corvo screamed out as he felt his body convulse and the tug of what felt like arms pulling themselves out of his body. His skin cracked and thick, hot blood rolled down his sides and was absorbed into the fabric of his shirt. His eyes watered and he looked up at the Outsider who was smiling behind black eyes.

“Have fun with your new gift, Corvo. I promise it won’t be for nothing.” 

Then his eyes opened and he shot up out of bed. Everything was back to normal, there was no hum of runes or floating whales outside his window. Corvo rubbed his eyes and laid back down only to shoot back up again when his back sent electric jolts of pain to his brain. “No…” Corvo hesitantly reached behind him and felt around his shirt. It was damp and when he brought his hand back into the moonlight Corvo could see the shine of blood. 

He stumbled into his bathroom and gently removed his shirt. He could feel the fabric catch and pull on limbs that were foreign yet familiar, he felt what must have been feathers pull up with his shirt then fall back down. His shirt was soaked through with blood and he could tell that his back was sticky with the stuff. Carefully he turned around flexed one of the wings in the mirror. It moved much like the void wing did, to Corvo it was like an arm that bent just a little off. Thankfully these weren’t nearly as big as the void wings. 

If he folded them against his back they could hardly be seen from the front. But even moving them slightly caused his skin to break again and blood ran down his back in small streams. Corvo walked back out into his room and glanced at one of the large standing clocks. It was four in the morning, it wouldn’t be too out of the ordinary for him to be up at this time. So no one should be too surprised when he turned on the faucet and took a shower. He needed something to help clear his mind of panicky thoughts and his back of blood.

He tossed the rest of his clothes in a pile in his bathroom and turned the water on. As he waited for it to run hot he locked both his bedroom and bathroom door. Then he stepped into the water and started to wash off the blood from his back. Seeing red swirl the drain by his feet wasn't a new thing, he had rinsed off more open wounds than he cared to admit. 

It was weird feeling water slip between feathers. He had feathers now, that was a crazy thought. Very gently he reached behind and touched the area surrounding his wings. Everything was still tender and sore, he figured it might be that way for a while, even if he guzzled some elixir to heal the broken skin. But he was able to loosen the dried blood and rinse it all off. He moved the wings in a rolling motion, similar to how he would loosen his shoulders up. Nothing felt more bizarre than having two new limbs to control. 

Corvo turned around so that the hot water could pour down on his face. He wasn’t sure what the Outsider’s goal was here. The wings of void made a bit of sense, if he could operate them like the rest of his powers, but from the way the Outsider was acting it seemed like he couldn’t hide them. If that was the case then perhaps these feathered ones would be better. He could tuck them in and they didn’t glow. But on the other hand, he looked behind at them again, they were rather small. He couldn’t imagine flying with them. Maybe that’s not what they were for, perhaps they were only to catch him if he blinked wrong. 

The water was beginning to get a bit chilled, even the Empress didn’t have unlimited hot water tanks. He shut the faucet off and stood there for a while before he wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out. He grabbed an elixir on his way out, he kept several on a shelf by the sink, he did most of his patching up after missions in the bathroom so it only made sense to store a few there. He drained it and tossed the empty container in a recycling unit. Corvo flipped the lights on and walked over to his closet. He picked a simple black shirt and a pair of pants out from the nearly identical sets of black shirts and pants.

Briefly he thought about lightening his wardrobe to match Emily's brighter tones but decided against it. He was the Lord Protector, it was his job to be a shadow, everyone knew that. Besides, he didn’t need to dress in brighter colors to let Emily know how he was feeling, he could smile just the same, especially now that he didn’t have to hide behind a mask. He believed that she understood that the dark times were passing. Things would take a turn for the better now, he was sure of it. 

Though the thought of why the Outsider gave him wings still hung heavy in his mind. He said he didn’t gift things without reason, so they must serve a purpose. Besides being annoying. Corvo fluttered them against his back before patting them dry with a towel and slipping a shirt over them. In just a T-shirt they were slightly visible as small bumps, but after he pulled a jacket over them they all but disappeared. That was reassuring. For now, they’d stay his little secret. 

He walked over to his bed and frowned. There was a rather large bloodstain where his back met the mattress. It made sense, things in the Void didn't happen in a vacuum. Any change he experienced there would be reflected in this world as well. Or at least that’s how he assumed it worked. But it still left the problem of soiled sheets and blankets. 

The sheets were done for, after he separated them from the blankets and mattress he tossed them into the fireplace. They burned rather quickly and violently, Corvo realized that maybe he should have ripped them into smaller pieces and fed them to the flames slower. The mattress had a large red stain on it as well, but he'd hide that with a new set of sheets. He grabbed a towel from the bathroom and tried to soak up as much blood as he could before tossing that into the fire as well. A little bit of cold water worked some of the stain out but this mattress would always be bloodstained. He wasn't sure what to do with the blankets. One was soft while the other thick, made of Tyvian wool and woven into an intricate pattern of shapes. He'd hate to throw that into the fire as well. Instead he pulled them all into the tub and started filling it with cold water. He hoped to break up the stains a bit with soap and water and perhaps they'd be fine. After putting a good hours worth of work into the blankets he hung them up on his balcony to dry. Then he pulled a spare set of sheets out from a dresser drawer and pulled down an extra blanket from the closet. The last thing he did was chuck his ruined shirt and sleep pants into the fire. Corvo looked around and was pretty satisfied that no one would be able to figure out what had happened that night. He unlocked his door and made his way down the hall. A bit of breakfast was in his future before he began another hard day's work.

\---

“Sir, what are you doing?” 

Corvo looked down from the ladder he was standing on. “I’m making sure no one like me can break into the tower,” he said. 

“Like you?” 

Corvo frowned. “Yeah, other skilled individuals. Like the masked man who helped bring Emily back to the throne, or the Assassin Daud, both of them were able to break into the tower.”

“And you think if you can’t get in, they can’t get in?” 

“That’s the idea,” Corvo said and dipped a paint brush into a bucket of white paint.  
“What makes you think you’re on their level? I heard that both of those people were using black magic, how do we safeguard against that?” 

“You can start by thinking like them. Daud came from across the roof of the water lock, the masked man did as well. So we should secure the roof of the water lock, put up a higher fence, slope the roofs in such a way that a person wouldn’t be able to get any purchase.”

“And the paint, Sir?” 

“Oh, everything below this line should be flush to the wall and all holes should be sealed. Anything above the line should be fine, but I’m going to advise that bars be put on the windows anyways. We’re having a security meeting tomorrow and I’d like to get all my points figured out.” 

The soldier looked up at the line that Corvo had painted, there were several others along the wall. “What made you decide on that height? Shouldn’t we just seal up the whole wall at this point?” 

“No, windows are necessary for airflow, lighting, and of course for looking out.” Corvo climbed down the ladder, the paint can in one hand and the brush in the other. He handed the brush and bucket to the soldier. “Could you mark the rest of the wall? Make sure that the lines match up fairly well.” Corvo stood back and looked at what he had drawn, he put his left hand behind his back and called his power, he was right, he could only project himself to just slightly below the lines he had painted. “If anything, raise the lines a meter.” There’s always a chance they could jump. “As for how I know, lets just say that I have some experience in this.” 

“Sir are you saying that you’re... “ the man trailed off. 

“I’m not saying anything,” Corvo said with a bit of a smile. He patted the man on the shoulder. “I already know that most of the guard and the majority of parliament suspect me of being the masked man, and it makes the most sense. I’d be a fool to admit it though, even if it was true.” 

“Are there people with powers? Witchcraft? Is that true?” 

Corvo looked at the guard, he was a newer recruit but he could tell that he was loyal and good, he didn’t need a magic heart to see that. “I was there when the Empress was killed. There was definitely sorcery involved with Daud and his Whalers. Those people exist, how many is unknown so stay sharp.” 

He turned to walk away but the guard asked one last question. “Corvo, Sir, how did you escape from Coldridge?” 

“Ah, there was no sorcery involved with that,” Corvo said with a slight chuckle. “That was mostly skill and a dash of dumb luck. I was in the right place at the right time and had some outside help. I know everyone wants to think it was an amazing feat-”

“You’re the only one who’s ever escaped from Coldridge! That is amazing.” 

Corvo smiled. “Ah, I’m not the only one, there have been others, just a few months ago Lizzy Stride disappeared from her cell as well. It happens.” 

“But you were Corvo Attano, Empress Killer, your security was so tight…” the guard trailed off. “Sorry, it’s just impressive is all, you’re like a legend now.” 

While Corvo wasn’t too enthused about being called an empress killer he let it slide, the past is past. “No more questions, you have a wall to mark up.” 

“Right!” The soldier set the paint down and grabbed the ladder to move it. “Sir? If you had outside help, then somebody must have found you innocent… or guilty… which was it?” 

“Innocent,” Corvo said. He waved a hand as he walked away. “Your mind can wander through what that means, you’ve probably already come to your own conclusions.” 

Corvo walked the perimeter wall looking for any hole where a rat could slip through unnoticed. The ones he did find he marked with another can of paint, he’d order them all filled as soon as he finished. Window ledges and overhangs where marked as well. He was shocked at how easy it was for him to blink to some of these areas. The architects who designed Dunwall Tower couldn’t be blamed, they had no idea that people marked by the Outsider existed in the world. It was something that Corvo knew however, and he’d make sure that all new security features implemented in the future would take these individuals into account. Perhaps he would consult Sokolov or Piero. He had debated telling one of the two geniuses about his mark, from the recordings he listened to it sounded like both of them toed the line between this world and Void themselves. 

They both might already know, when he worked for the Loyalists he never bothered covering his hand, his mark was clearly visible to anyone who looked. In fact he remembered a few of the rich party goers at the Boyle estate comment on his mark. Surely Sokolov or Piero would be able to deduce what it meant. He also could have sworn Piero caught him blinking up to Emily’s room. During those times he was far more reckless with his abilities, blinking across the yard or up to his room, he didn’t care if anyone saw because he had nothing left to lose. 

One day he’d work up the courage to tell one of them, he was certain that at this point neither would turn on him, either out of loyalty or fear. They could create amazing technologies to combat those who used magic given to them by the Void. The easiest and most straightforward solution would be to just blast the anti-magic music that the Overseers use, but then Corvo couldn’t live in his own home. The music gave him an instant headache, and while it was bearable for short durations, any longer and he’d be forced to leave the area. 

For now they’d work on making the place harder to blink into and Corvo prayed the Outsider wasn’t running around giving other people wings. There was no way he could protect against an assault from the sky. While he was thinking about it he should try possessing a bird as well, because all their efforts would be for nothing if someone could just fly into the courtyard in the body of a pigeon. Corvo had only tried rats, fish and dogs, but he assumed that the power might extend to birds as well. Horses could be a problem as well, while they were getting more rare in the city some still used them for transport, the stables could become a security hazard. 

Corvo’s mind started to spin with all the ways that someone marked by the Outsider could get in. Daud and his Whalers possessed a strange ability that held him in place, that could be used to pull guards out of stations and off of walls, both he and Daud could stop and bend time, Corvo had no idea how he was supposed to protect against that. Maybe it was impossible. His hand slipped down to rest on his sword, if that was the case he’d have to make sure his skills with a blade never dulled. He’d have to become even more alert than he was before, he couldn’t afford to get ambushed by another marked individual. Even unmarked people caught him off guard recently, it was only a few months ago that people he considered allies poisoned him without him noticing until it was too late.

Thankfully it was either Samuel’s low dose or an Outsider granted immunity that saved him from death. And he was glad for it, because while there were times when he was sitting, rotting in Coldridge Prison that he thought about and wished for death, he never really wanted it deep down. He turned to the ocean that came crashing against the rocky shore and breathed in the scent of the sea on the wind. It was a fishy, salty smell that assaulted his nostrils but it also felt alive and the wind that whipped through his hair electrified him. He was alive and he was going to stay that way. 

He was making his way back to the docks when something made him stop. It was the sound of humming again. It was the deep voice of a rune calling to him. Corvo looked around and upon spotting nobody began to hunt around the beach. Among the rocks and surf he eventually located the rune carved of bone. He picked it up in careful hands and ran his fingers over the engraving of the Outsider’s mark. Power briefly washed over him as the magic transferred from the rune into his body. He didn’t mean to drain this one but once the process started he couldn’t stop it. Once the rune had finished singing he placed it in a pocket inside his jacket. It was risky carrying a rune on his person, but he was confident he wouldn’t be checked, if questioned he could easily say he found it on the shore and was bringing it in to be disposed of. 

The more Corvo walked the more his back began to burn. It tingled a bit after he picked up the rune, but that sensation turned painful as he walked. It was like the night before when he grew his wings. He paused to gently rub the place between wings. He could feel his back throb with every heartbeat and the ache went bone deep. Corvo was nearly at the docks when his back spasmed, the pain caught him off guard and he fell to his knees. It was like his skin was rippling and he could feel his wings slide out of his back more. He cried out involuntarily which drew the attention of some guards at the dock. They hurried over and knelt by Corvo’s side. “Lord Protector are you alright?” 

“Are you injured? Have we been attacked?” The guards looked around the beach trying to spot any sort of enemy. 

“N-No,” Corvo gasped. “We’re not under attack.” He tried to collect himself, pull it together, block out the pain. He clamped his wings to his back, forcing them to stay tightly folded even though the action caused a flare up of pain. “I just, an old injury, I’ll be fine.” 

The guards looked at each other before one of them stood and offered Corvo a hand. He accepted and another guard clapped him on back. “You aren’t getting old on us are you Lord Protector?” 

Corvo had to bite his tongue to avoid screaming as the hand came down on his wings. “Even as an old man I could do circles around you,” Corvo said, trying to joke. “I still have many years of service in me, don’t worry.” He shrugged off the guards and motioned to the tower. “I’ll be heading back now, thank you for your concern.” 

As Corvo walked away the guards headed back to the stations on the dock, all but one. “Hey, Elliot you coming?” The man didn’t answer, he was just staring at his hand. “Elliot?” 

The guard turned his hand so his palm faced the other guards. “That’s blood...right?” 

They all looked at Corvo who was already three quarters of the way up the stairs, which seemed impossible given that moments ago he was on the ground screaming. “Was the Lord Protector injured?” 

“I… I don’t know?” The three guards watched Corvo crest the top of the hill and disappear towards the main building. “Should we tell someone?” 

One of the guards shook his head. “No, if he’s hurt he’ll seek out help. If he’s not, then… well that blood had to have come from somewhere. I’ll order a patrol to do the perimeter right away, just to be sure.” 

Corvo knew he risked being spotted by blinking up the stairs, but he really didn’t want to collapse in pain again in front of the guards. They might call a doctor and that was a sure fire way to blow his cover after only one day. He could feel his wings quiver and pull further out of his back. It was an unpleasant sensation to say the least. Once inside he gave the foyer a quick look before he blinked across it and up the stairs.

There had been talk about giving him Jessamine’s old room, but right now her memory still burned bright in his mind. He didn’t think he could sleep soundly in the bed they shared secretly or wake up in that room alone. So he declined the offer, for now at least, and returned to the room he had been given previously. Once inside he locked the door and went straight for his bathroom. His coat had been discarded on the floor and his shirt was soon to follow. 

There was no mistaking it, his wings had grown bigger, not by a lot, but they were noticeably larger than they were this morning. New spikes of feathers were budding along the freshly exposed bare skin. Blood thinly coated the area where the wings met the flesh of his back. Corvo flexed them out, noting that the tips of the flight feathers reached just past his elbows now. He didn’t know for certain what triggered the sudden growth but he had an idea. 

Corvo walked over to the chest where he kept his spare, unused runes. It could have been a coincidence that his wings started to grow after absorbing the rune’s power but he didn’t think that was the case. He unlocked the box and carefully picked up another rune. This time he deliberately drained it of energy and waited. Like before it took a few moments before his back began to burn and the wings seem to crawl out from his back a little bit more. 

Because he knew what was coming it was easier to anticipate the pain. His back was still sore from the last growth spurt, it was also numb, making this wave of pain less severe. He grit his teeth and sunk down to the floor, eventually resting his forehead on the top of the chest. This time he didn’t cry out. He could feel blood dribble slowly down his back. Like before it was over rather quickly. Corvo was able to regain his feet and walk back to the bathroom. Now his wings were nearly the same size as his arms. When he extended both the tips of his flight feathers just barely touched his fingertips.

The feathers on his wings that were previously pins were longer now, with tufts forming at the tips. Corvo didn’t know much about wing or feather growth, but he could tell that they were accelerated by the rune as well. New pins jutted out from the newly formed wing and the skin between his wings also began to have these pins erupt. They itched but Crovo resisted the urge to scratch. He might not know much about wings, but he got the feeling he wasn’t supposed to touch the feathers as the grew in. He honestly wondered if this was worth all the trouble. It was surely too late to confront the Outsider about this, but Corvo knew he would give the God a piece of his mind next time they spoke. 

Corvo showered again to rinse off the new blood and distract himself. However, a few minutes in he realized with a start that he hadn’t seen Emily all day. Panic briefly flared in his chest. Of course he knew that his daughter was safe within the tower, she had studies most of the day and no meetings scheduled. Most likely she’d be at a table in the library going over geography or mathematical equations. But he still needed to see her, make absolutely sure she was fine. It was one part protective father and many parts fear of the past repeating itself. Corvo occasionally got flare ups of anxiety that would bubble up from nowhere. While he was working for the Loyalists he had focus, he had missions, he had goals. Now that there wasn’t a pressing danger he found himself imagining up the worst case scenarios without even trying.

He finished his shower hastily and moved to put fresh clothes on. He paused and flapped the wings, they no longer fit snugly against his back. In less than a day they had already become a problem. Corvo spotted the belt he used to carry his bone charms. He folded his wings again, taking extra time to make sure everything sat right, then carefully put the leather across them and cinched it snug. He didn’t mean to hold the wings down with it, it would only serve as a reminder not to flex them and to hold them in place. That way if another fit of pain happened he wouldn’t have to worry about them pushing up his jacket. 

Satisfied with the result he left his room once more to go find Emily. He wondered how long he could keep this hidden from her. She was a smart girl, even for her age and dangerously perceptive. He hadn’t told her he was her father but it was something she had already figured out all on her own. It wasn’t like he had been exactly distant with her, even for someone of his position alongside the Empress he was far too familiar with her. If she hadn’t already guessed blood relation she certainly saw him as a father figure. It didn’t bother Corvo one bit but it riled up the aristocrats and the people Jessamine held court with. They all believed she should have a proper upbringing with her real, biological, father. Because surely this Serkonan mutt couldn’t be her real father.

Corvo couldn’t hold back a smile at the memories. So many people suspected what was going on between him and Jessamine, but no one dared say anything or ask outright. Some still clung to the desperate belief that she was involved with another nobel, and not some dirty street kid from Serkonos. Many accepted it as unverified truth when Emily was born and no official father had been declared. It was the worst kept scandal in all the Isles and Corvo couldn’t lie, he got endless amusement from it.

He felt like the next big scandal would focus on him flirting with black magic. No matter how hard he tried to keep his mark a secret he was sure somewhere down the line someone would notice and call attention to it. Corvo only prayed he had enough support by then to keep his position by Emily’s side. His wings were a problem he didn’t want to think about. A mark he could explain away, wings were a different matter entirely. Perhaps they would vanish after they served their purpose? 

The tower library was an impressive room. Floor to ceiling shelving housed hundred of books, collections of maps, and scrolls. While obviously not as impressive as the main library at the academy it was still respectful. Corvo sometimes found himself at a table reading if there was downtime. It wasn’t his strong suit, his upbringing wasn’t the best and reading was tricky at first, especially considering how different the Gristol alphabet looked from the Serkonan one. Speaking came easy and many people complimented his lack of an accent. But he knew that if he were to succeed at his job he’d need to master both written and spoken word. If anything could be said about Corvo Attano it was that he was a hard worker. He impressed everyone with how quickly he adapted to his new life. 

Emily was seated at a large mahogany table in the middle of the room. There were papers and books scattered about and her instructor for the day was seated in front of her. Guards were posted outside the entrance and around the library, however most of them were relaxing or perusing the bookshelves. That changed when Corvo walked in, like something had zapped them they all jolted to attention. Corvo had to hide his amusement. 

“Ah, Lord Protector, here to derail another one of my lessons?” The teacher said.

Corvo wasn’t sure if the man was serious or not. “I uh, no, I was checking in on Emily.” 

“Corvo!” Emily slid out of her chair and rushed over to him. “Oh please take me to do something fun!” 

Corvo easily lifted her into the air and spun once before he set her back down. “Sorry you know I can’t.” 

“Not even if it’s an order?” 

“Emily,” Corvo said and knelt down. “Your education is important. Even if you think it’s the most boring thing in the world.”

“But why do I have to know all this stuff? Can’t I just have people who know more than me tell me?”

“Do you really want a bunch of people telling you what to do as Empress for the rest of your life?” Corvo asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Hmmm... no. I don’t want that, you’re right. I want to make all the choices myself.” 

Corvo rested a hand on her head and messed up her hair. “That’s what I wanted to hear. And to make the best decisions you have to be the smartest Empress, which means you can’t ignore your studies.” 

Emily batted Corvo’s hand away. “Ok. I hate it when you make sense Corvo.” That got a small laugh from him. “Are you going away now?” 

“Yes, I should probably check in with the guards and read some boring old reports.” 

“Aww, can’t you stay?” 

Corvo looked up at the instructor who was not so subtly glaring daggers at him. “No, it would be best that I left. We can have dinner together, I promise.” 

That seemed to brighten her up and she hugged Corvo tightly. Emily heard Corvo gasp and whince. “Are you ok?” She immediately let go. “Are you hurt?” 

“I’m fine, you’re just so strong,” he said and stood up. He took Emily’s hand and walked her back to her chair. 

“Lord Protector, Sir,” a guard spoke up. “Perhaps the Empress is right, we were told there was an incident down at the docks, maybe you should take it easy.” 

“What happened?” Emily demanded.

Corvo put his hands up and smiled. “Nothing happened. An old injury of mine acted up. Don’t worry.” 

She frowned, clearly worrying. “I don’t like the idea that you’re getting hurt Corvo. Is being the Royal Protector really that dangerous?” Of course she knew, she knew that Corvo had put himself in great danger to rescue her and bring her back home. But that was a secret. “Maybe I should find another one so that you don’t get hurt anymore…” 

Corvo knew she didn’t quite realize the weight her words and suggestions had yet. “I’m fine, really. I have plenty of years left. I want to protect you,” he said quietly but firmly to her. “Let me protect you.” 

Emily looked from his eyes to the ground then back up to his eyes again. “Ok,” she said reluctantly. “You can keep being the Royal Protector. But I still think Royal Tea-Party Master would be a much more fun job.” 

“I’m sure it would,” Corvo said with a smile. “I’ll see you at dinner, be good, study hard.” 

“I will,” Emily said. Corvo could hear the slight disappointment in her voice. She didn’t like being away from him, the first few weeks were especially hard. Corvo trailed her like a shadow and rarely left her side. Eventually he had to, Emily wasn’t due to make any appearances outside of Dunwall Tower and Corvo had to start doing the other branches of his job. There were patrols to order and excursions into the town to lead. The weepers were still an issue that needed to be dealt with, there were still street gangs and bands of thieves that prevented many from moving back into the areas they once lived in.

The town needed to heal as much as Corvo or Emily did. Corvo had taken over as head of the guard and there were things that needed his skills. He couldn’t stay inside Dunwall Tower all day every day. He still worried, he didn’t think he’d ever stop worrying, but right now there were other things that demanded his attention. He had duties to perform, he was as much Dunwall’s protector as he was Emily’s. So wing pain or not he had to push onward. 

Without any other encounters with runes his wings didn’t act up and he was able to function throughout the rest of the day as he normally would. Which was great because word had spread fast about his incident down by the docks. Corvo would much rather his men look at him with suspicion of being a sorcerer than treat him as an old man. 

He had to admit that it felt good to finally be alone in his room where he could take off his jacket and flex out his wings. Keeping them folded tight against his body was not very comfortable. He kept pausing to stare at his reflection in the mirrors of his room. The black wings caught him off guard. Corvo wasn’t sure if the Outsider made them black for stealth reasons, to match his hair, or as a bad joke. 

Gently he ran his hand along the soft feathers. “I know my name means crow in Serkonan but this is a little too literal.” Though, he supposed the Outsider could have turned him into an actual bird. That would have been too literal. Corvo opened his window and let the cooler night air blow in from the sea. He sat against the windowsill, one leg loosely hanging outside while the other rested on the floor. The moon was big and round that night, the skies clear. Corvo looked out over the yard, and past the walls of Dunwall Tower to the ocean. 

Was the threat the Outsider hinted at going to come from the waves? Or was it a danger that lurked within?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first fic I've done for the Dishonored fandom. You'll have to excuse any any major errors, I'm quite new to these characters and it might take a chapter or so to find my footing. I also haven't finished Death of the Outsider, so I might be missing some information, especially regarding the Void, right now I'm playing with what I know from the first two games, so my apologies if I have to go back and edit some things.
> 
> More characters and tags will be added as said characters appear. I just don't like overflooding tags if the characters don't make an appearance at the time. This will eventually become a CorvoSider fic because I'm very weak to that pairing.  
> I firmly believe that every fandom needs a wing AU and with main character named Corvo, well it was just begging to be done. 
> 
> I love comments and feedback, especially when dealing with new characters and settings. I want to know what I'm doing right or wrong, or just to hear my reader's opinions.  
> I think that's all I got for comments this time around. I hope you enjoyed and I'll hopefully see you in the next chapter.


	2. An Unfortunate Accident

Corvo had hoped that the Outsider would pay him a visit during the many nights that passed since he received his new gift. But his dreams were just that, dreams. He never awoke in the cold expanse of the Void, there were no whales floating through the sky or water shooting upward. All he was left with was unanswered questions and a constant throb in his back. 

Like the burn of his mark he was able to ignore the pain in his back and push through his duties as Royal Protector. While he was driven to stand watch over Emily every moment of the day he allowed himself to be pulled away for other tasks. Ultimately this was good for him because he knew that he would go a bit stir crazy cooped up in the palace. Watching over Jessamine wasn’t too bad, her company was well received and her daily duties a bit more interesting than Emily’s. That was of no fault of hers. She was still a child. 

_A child that will be forced to grow up far too quickly._ Corvo lamented the fact that Emily would never get to have a true childhood. But as he walked the still plague stricken streets of Dunwall he realized that at the moment no child was having a childhood. While the throne might have been returned to softer hands the island was still at the mercy of a terrible disease. Families were still dying and there was nothing Corvo could do to stop it. He could repel invaders, order footsoldiers and advise the strategists on deploying their ships and fight physical battles. Corvo could walk in the shadows, get rid of enemies silently and non lethally if needed. But he couldn’t stab a plague. His sword was useless, and without that he felt powerless. He needed the great minds of Sokolov and Piero to figure out a cure and fast. Both of them made incredible elixirs and he was certain that if they kept working together they could find an answer. 

“Lord Protector, we need you to come look at something.”

His attention turned to a group of City Watch guards who were waving him over. “What’s the matter? Weepers?” 

“No, thank the gods for that.” One of them pointed up to the third floor window of an apartment building. “Does that window look… off to you? Like that there’s black magic surrounding it?” 

Corvo followed the man’s finger to the window. There was definitely a strong purple glow coming from the window and he could hear the familiar hissing sound of a bone charms song, but even more pressing was that he could also hear the deeper sound of a rune. “I’ll go check it out, you all wait here.” 

“Should we call the Abbey?” 

Corvo shook his head. “No need for that, if there’s someone in there then we can. No use calling them for a false alarm. There’s enough to be done in this city we shouldn’t waste the time of others.” But if he was being honest, he just didn’t like Overseers. If they ever saw his hand or knew he walked the Void he’d be as good as dead. But it wouldn’t be a quick death, no the Abbey don’t grant heretics that privilege. He’d be tortured for hours, perhaps days until he either told what he knew or rejected them fully. Only then would he be granted death. 

So instead Corvo elected to go alone. Only rarely did these sites still have someone practicing at them. Most were long abandoned. Whale oil lanterns, originally created to keep rats at bay, could be tampered with and made to glow purple, burned for far longer than the year Dunwall had been in chaos. If there was a person inside he could easily sneak up on them and take them down. If the person had fallen and become a weeper he would have to assess the situation in greater detail. 

Even though he was marked by the Outsider, he wasn’t immune to the rat plague. There were rumors circulating the darker parts of the town of a young boy, marked by the Outsider who died of the plague. If the story was true, then he had to watch himself around the infected. One wrong step and he could start crying blood. Emily had made it clear that she didn’t like the killing of Weepers. She, much like her mother, believed they were still the same people they were, just very sick. She was adamant on keeping them alive if possible, because one day there might not just be a way to protect yourself from the disease, but cure it too. It was a noble goal, and one Corvo respected. 

He climbed the creaky stairs and walked through the abandoned hallway. The runes and charms called out stronger as he crept closer to the correct apartment. When he ascended the second flight of stairs he was greeted by an obstruction made of furniture and rubble from a collapsed section of the floor. Corvo tested it to see if it was climbable, but it shifted far too much for his liking. He pulled his left hand out and tried to see if he could blink around it. But the gaps were too small to project himself through. So instead he raised his hand in a different spell, one he hoped wouldn’t make too much noise. It had been a long while since he called upon the wind to aid him.

The glow from his mark intensified, the outline clearly visible through the glove and light seemed to swirl his hand. A deep voice whispered in his ears, saying the words to invoke the magic in a language long dead and forgotten. Wind rushed through the hallway, guided by Corvo’s hand and tore apart the obstruction with ease. Wood splintered and glass shattered away from Corvo. Parts were still falling when he blinked past and up the stairs. He paused by a stairwell window to call out to the guards who were alerted by sound. He assured him that he was ok and that the building was just unstable. 

There were no more barriers between him and the apartment that he knew carried a shrine within. Perhaps he would finally get some answers. Carefully he opened the door and threw on his dark vision to check for bodies, alive or dead. A cursory sweep revealed the apartment to be empty. Corvo stepped out into the main room and looked around. There wasn’t much to be seen, a table with rotting food and a couch with rat torn holes. But off towards the balcony, obscured by fabric was a shrine to the Outsider. 

Like many others it was fashioned together from scrap wood, wire, and fabric. Each one seemed to carry a bit of the owners personality through. Corvo had discovered many shrines during his travels through the city. He was certain there were many, many, more he hadn’t found and countless others beyond Dunwall’s borders. The Outsider wasn’t a figure worshipped by few, the Abbey had an upward battle if they wanted to eliminate all traces of him from the Isles. 

Corvo ran a hand along the wooden surface of the shrine. It was smooth and well polished. His hand raised to move over the two runes left as an offering to the Outsider. His fingers traced the deep carved mark that was identical to the one he knew was surely carved on his own bones. A slight burning sensation ran up from his hand and into his arm, but it soon faded to a softer, more comfortable warmth that spread through his body. Corvo shivered and walked around the shrine. Normally the Outsider was quick to greet him, often appearing swiftly beside the shrine or pulling him into the Void itself. Corvo braced himself for both, but nothing happened.

Tentatively he called out, “Outsider?” It was worth a shot, though Corvo never knew the god to answer to his or anyone else’s voice. And he didn’t make an exception this time. The room remained silent as a grave. Corvo shrugged and pocketed one of the runes, the other he carried openly in his hand, this one he’d show to his men below so they’d have something to report later that day. It didn’t look like anyone lived in this apartment complex anymore, so calling in the Abbey to destroy the shrine wouldn’t be putting anyone in harm’s way. Corvo had become rather sympathetic towards those who worshipped the Outsider, he had no room to judge since he spoke with the deity on what used to be a frequent basis. He was even more guilty of execution by the Abbey than most, a thought that burned stronger when he could feel fabric rub feathers born from the Void. 

After sweeping the room of anything else that could be useful he left. On his way down the now cleared stairs he placed the two bone charms he found on the leather strap under his vest and shirt. One whispered promises of a faster sword hand, while the other told he could feel more energetic after eating fruits. The sword charm he found useful, the other he would leave in the chest by his bed. His days of eating random scraps of food were over for now. He spotted a rat out of the corner of his eye and shuddered. “Hopefully the days of eating you are over too my friend.” 

He regrouped with his men and showed them the rune he found. “There was a shrine up there,” he said, “good eye. I pulled this from it, looks like a worship rune of some sort, I’ll put it in collection box when we get back to the tower. We’ll mark the location and send a full report to the Abbey, they can come clear it out when they have the time and men.” 

“You have more guts than most of us Sir,” one of the City Watchmen said. “You go fearlessly into these old decrepit buildings. What if there were weepers?” 

Corvo half snorted. “I have got to get you guys into stealth training of some sort. It’s not hard to walk softly and be aware of your surroundings. Someone has to be able to get inside these places without causing a ruckus. We’re low on everything at the moment, uniforms, swords, ammo, elixirs. We need to keep altercations to a minimum, at least until we deal with the plague enough to get the trade sanctions lifted on Dunwall.” 

A few of the guards looked at each other uneasily. The city had already gone through one winter of plague and they were nervous about another. “Do you, Lord Attano, do you think that we’ll be ok? If the sanctions aren’t lifted I mean. We’re barely scraping by on canned fished and jellied eels. Surely the town will be doomed to starve if we can’t import food.” 

“If we cannot cure ourselves of this plague by the Month of Darkness then I will write a letter personally to Duke Theodanis Abele of Serkonos.” 

“And he’ll help because?” 

One of the other guards elbowed him. “Because Corvo’s Serkonan, kin help kin, right?” He looked at Corvo. 

Corvo had to suppress a smile. “Not quite, the Duke did refuse my original request of aid when I sailed the Isles last year. However, I know Duke Theodanis and he’s a good man. He may just send a ship or two of rations, Dunwall is the capital of Gristol and houses the Empress of the Isles. Granted, the other Isles could be watching and waiting for us to fall, the Empire is fragile right now, the sudden change of crown and the Abbey in disarray… if we fall it’s very likely there’ll be a war for a new ruling Isle. I’m hoping the Duke will see reason and send supplies before things reach such a desperate state.” 

“Why didn’t you go back to Serkonos?” One of the guards blurted and was quickly hit over the head. 

This time Corvo did laugh. “Serkonos is my birthplace but Dunwall is where I call home. I couldn’t abandon her and I wasn’t going to flee a fugitive.” 

“But Sir, you could be sleeping on white beaches under a blue sky instead of rooting around this shit hole.” 

“That is tempting, I haven’t swam the turquoise waters of the ocean in years. But shit hole or not, Dunwall is home and I want to see it shine again. Things are dark now but everything will work out, we have to believe that or we’ll be doomed to fail.” 

Corvo then turned and continued walking down the street to continue their patrol. One of the guards said to another, “I like Lord Attano, he’s much better to be with on patrol than those nasty men Burrows put in charge.” 

“The guy could have, should have in opinion, left. He was framed, betrayed and the citizens he served didn’t so much as protest his imprisonment. I know none of us did. We didn’t think it strange at all that he murdered the Empress moments upon his return, that didn’t seem fishy to any of us.” 

“I know some of the older guards protested, you know, the guys that were with Corvo when he was fresh off the boat.” 

Another guard said, “I’ve always regretted how quickly I tossed Corvo under the carriage. I’m blaming the plague putting fears in our minds but… I can’t believe none of us saw through it. I mean, Corvo? Kill the Empress? We should have laughed. We all saw how he behaved with Empress Jessamine and still behaves around Empress Emily. He’s practically that girl’s father. We’re all idiots for believing that snake.” 

“But he was found with her body, with a bloody sword,” one pointed out. “That’s pretty damning evidence.” 

“Yeah only how many times have we heard the Abbey preach about black magic? That stuff is real and we should have suspected it.” 

“Because the first thing I think of when I hear that someone's been charged with treason is black magic.” 

One of them interjected, “Maybe it should be? Maybe times are changing? You saw the changes to the protocol Lord Attano is trying to make. He wants us to be more aware of the possible ways those using black magic can get around us. Did you know they can teleport? And stop time? Not even the Wall of Light or our Arc Pylons will work if the times been halted.” 

A guard swore. “Do we even have a chance against freaks like that? What are we to do? Should we all start worshipping the Outsider in hopes of getting fancy powers?” 

“Shh,” Another said quickly, “don’t say stuff like that. The Abbey could get you for joking.” 

“I don’t know which to fear more, those religious fanatics or the supernatural assassins.” 

“You should fear me when I write on the report that you’re all gossipping instead of being alert,” Corvo called over his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re taking an interest in the town’s security as it is your job, however next time maybe show up at the meetings.” 

“Right! Yes Sir!” 

One of the soldiers turned to another and said, “Hey, I’m going to go into that alley over there and take a piss.” 

“Gross, why are you telling me?” 

“So you don’t freak out when you notice I’m gone.” 

“Why bother walking all the way to alley? This whole place smells like piss just go on that garbage bin over there.” 

“I’m a shy pisser ok?” He said and headed off towards the darkened street.

Corvo rolled his eyes and kept walking forward. While he enjoyed getting out of the palace and he even thought the company was nice, sometimes it got a little tiring. He looked up at the street lights and wished he could move about the town freely like he used to. Blinking came so naturally to him he found it hard to imagine how he got around without it. Walking everywhere was a chore and he couldn’t get the best view of the area from the streets. While he was looking up at the streetlight something caught his eye on a rooftop just beyond the lamppost. _A person?_ When the figure moved he caught a glimpse of reflective eye covers and the long muzzle of a whaler mask. Then the figure dissipated into shadows and Corvo knew for sure it was a member of Daud’s old assassin group. _I thought they would have disbanded by now._

The sight of them made him nervous. Daud said he was going to leave the city, he figured he’d take his gang with him. So when reports of individuals resembling the Whalers had started landing on his desk Corvo assumed two things, either Daud lied and hadn’t left the city, or the Whalers were still functioning without him. If they were operating without their old leader catching one blinking was concerning. He didn’t understand how their powers worked but he had hoped they would lose them after Daud fled. The group could very well be stalking him for some sort of revenge, if that were the case he’d have to be careful. The Whalers were a powerful enemy and he didn’t dare take them lightly. 

Corvo was still lost in thought when he heard one of his men cry out, “Weepers!” 

He spun around to see a City Watch guard stumbling out of a back street. The man was frantically pulling up his pants and reaching for his gun. Behind him Corvo could spot five weepers. One of the biggest problems with weepers was that they traveled in packs, though Corvo suspected it wasn’t so much a pack, as it was the same group of people who were exiled together stuck together. Humans tended to reach out for other humans, though the argument could be made for and against a weepers humanity. 

The City Watch guard managed to make it safely to his companions as they opened fire on the weepers. But their aims were off and hardly any bullets made their way into enemy flesh. Corvo swore softly under his breath, he could be there in an instant if he blinked but that wasn’t an option. He started running and poured on some supernatural speed, he already had his blade extended. The first weeper he caught by surprise and flung both his body and his blade into the infected human. They tumbled sideways but while the weeper’s coordination had suffered under its illness, Corvo’s had not. The weeper fell to the ground with a choked gasp and Corvo turned quickly on his heel to sever the head one who was just about to grab a City Watch guard. 

“Back!” Corvo barked. Hoping the guards would start stepping back to give them space to fight. That was another problem with the City Watch, they all fought too close together. It made firing a gun near impossible and swinging a saber dangerous. Luckily the scared men seemed to heed Corvo’s warning and took a few steps away and distanced themselves from each other. This drew the remaining three weepers out as well. One was shot by a guard and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap while one more was dispatched rather messily by a clumsy saber. Corve stepped in and killed the other with a quick slice to the throat. He stepped away as the body fell. 

“Clear away from the bodies,” Corvo said. “Many weepers carry within them dangerous flies, as the body cools the flies come out and attack. Best not be near when that happens, we don’t need any of you getting shipped off to quarantine.” 

One of the City Watch soldiers nudged the corpse with a foot. “Weepers freak me out. Are they even human?” 

“Don’t be stupid,” another said quickly.

Corvo frowned. “That’s being debated right now. Sokolov and Piero think that it’s just an infection and it can be cured with medicine, even after they reach the weeper state. Besides, I think we should honor Jessa-” 

A scream cut off Corvo and he turned to see three more weepers rushing out from the back street. He heard the guards panic and spread out. Corvo raised his blade to block the swiping hands and drooling mouth of the weeper that charged him. The force of the impact caused Corvo to take a step back to counter it, but his heel hit the dead weeper on the ground and he fell backward. His back hit the ground and he hardly had a moment to grunt. The weeper fell on him and he had a moment to kick out and dislodge it. 

That wasn’t his best idea because the weeper groaned then vomited black bile on his chest. Corvo hauled it off and ran a sword through its neck. He had just gotten to his feet when a second weeper charged him and shoved him against a wall. Corvo cried out in pain as his folded wings were smashed against the brick. His sword fell from his hand and clattered to the ground and he cursed, he couldn’t believe he allowed himself to be disarmed. The weeper was trying desperately to bite him, Corvo wasn’t sure if weepers were cannibalistic and he wasn't eager to find out. The weeper had one of his arms pinned painfully to his side and he couldn’t shake it off, it was far stronger than the others.

“Firing!” One of the guard members called out. 

Corvo’s heart skipped a beat before he heard another shout, “No! Idiot!” and he saw the gun was pulled away from him. “You shoot now and you’ll hit Corvo!” 

“Getting shot is surely better than getting eaten by a weeper!” 

“I would much rather not be shot!” Corvo shouted from under the weeper. He kicked out but the weeper seemed unaffected. Perhaps its nerves had been dulled? Typically weepers had only two goals, infect, or kill. This one seemed to be leaning more towards the kill option. Corvo looked into its glassy eyes trying to find any trace of humanity that could reside within. For a moment he thought he saw hesitation and regret, before the weeper shuddered and vomited another wave of black bile down on Corvo. 

It seemed to be momentarily exhausted after throwing up and Corvo took the chance to inch his free arm across to his bolts. He placed one in his mouth and slid his arm back down to unhook his crossbow from his belt, the pistol would have been easier but he couldn’t seem to find it. The weeper seemed to be regaining itself and in one swift movement Corvo swung the crossbow up and loaded the bolt from his mouth and pulled it back. Piero had engineered this crossbow, it moved smooth as silk and had nearly zero resistance while loading. Corvo put the tip of it against the weeper’s head and pulled the trigger. Blood spurted from the weeper and it gripped Corvo’s side as it fell to the ground. He could have sworn that he heard it say “Thank you” but he was probably imagining things. 

Corvo himself felt like falling to the ground after that close call, but instead he pushed himself away from the wall and looked over at the guards who were watching warely. He could see the third weeper was dead, sword wounds visible even from this distance. “Are you guys ok? Anyone hurt?” 

“No, we’re good here, are you injured Lord Protector?” 

He wanted to say no, but he knew it better to lie. “A little banged up, but nothing serious.” Corvo bent down and picked up his sword. He spun it to close the blade and returned it to his belt alongside his crossbow. His pistol was laying on the ground not far from the weeper pile where he tripped. It must have been knocked from its holster when the weeper had fell on him. He walked over to retrieve it and noticed how the guards all gave him a wide birth. A moment of panic quickly passed through him before he steeled his nerves. A quick check of his gloved hand revealed that his mark hadn’t activated and his wings were still clamped firmly against his back. Corvo frowned and asked, “What’s wrong? Surely there aren’t more are there?” 

“No, Sir you’re uh,” the guard hesitated. “D-Don’t come near us.” 

Corvo saw their eyes on him, on his coat and vest that were coated and dripping with weeper bile and blood. “Oh.” Corvo said quietly. “I’m not… none of it got in me,” he said with confidence he knew they didn’t believe. “I’ll be fine.” 

“You’re not going to be fine Lord Protector,” one said. “You need to go to quarantine right now!” 

Quarantine. Corvo shivered hard. People didn’t come back from quarantine. “I’m fine,” he insisted. 

The guards shook their heads and one even pulled a gun. “Don’t make me,” he said, his hand was shaking. 

Corvo sighed. “Put the gun down Markus,” was all he said. “Shoot that and I can’t promise you you’ll be alive much longer.” Either because he would kill him or Emily would order it so. He didn’t doubt his daughter would have any remorse for someone who killed him. She was young and likely to act on impulse. He had to think quickly before this situation got even more out of hand. 

Going to quarantine was a death sentence. Not just because he would be exposed to actual infected, but because the staff managing the quarantine zones would strip him and see his wings. He could blink away, or stop time, but that would only be delaying the inevitable. That’s when the smallest of ideas began to hatch in his mind. The staff… there was one quarantine zone that was being managed by Sokolov himself. He had a laboratory there that he used to test new elixirs that he and Piero drafted. If he could get into that one and speak only to Sokolov this whole mess could be cleared up. 

“Ok,” Corvo said carefully. “I’ll go to a quarantine zone, willingly. Just lower that gun.” The gun was carefully taken off of him. 

“How do we know you won’t just skip town?” 

“You said it yourself, I could have left when I was freed from prison. I didn’t run then, I won’t run now.” 

“You can’t go back to the Empress,” Markus said suddenly. “You could be infected and signs don’t show for two weeks for some. Go to her and you’ll put her in danger.” 

Corvo ground his teeth, he didn’t need to be told this from a guard. “I know my duty, and I know the risks. I’m not stupid.” 

“We didn’t imply-” 

“Hush,” Corvo growled out. “I’ll go. Alone, any escort could just be exposed to the sickness right?” 

“You could drop the jacket?” One suggested. The same one that stopped him being shot during the fight. 

Corvo shook his head. “I don’t want to scatter anymore infectious materials than we need to. The quarantine station will dispose of it,” he said. But in reality he couldn’t take his jacket off without exposing his wings. “Get to a watch station, call this in, two of you stay behind to make sure civilians don’t come near. In your report mention I left for quarantine zone five.” 

“Five sir? But that’s across the town! Three is much closer.” 

“Three doesn’t have Anton Sokolov as the head physician,” Corvo said irritably. “I’m not infected and I don’t feel like marching myself to a death camp.” Though the zones had all had major improvements made to them in the weeks since Emily regained the throne, they were still terrible. Clean food and water didn’t help much when healthy people were forced to be in close quarters with infected. “The quarantine site will notify the guard when I arrive. I’ll spend my two weeks then return to Dunwall Tower.” 

“And if you are infected Sir?” 

“I’m not,” he replied flatly. “It’s a formality. I’ll be sending instructions for Emily’s protection while I’m gone. She is not to make any trips outside of Dunwall Tower, tell the commanding officer in charge that. River will take over control of the guard when I’m away. Report to her and tell her that I’ll be sending further instructions. Obviously my meetings will have to be cancelled,” Corvo trailed off, they didn't’ need to know all of this. “Just tell River instructions will follow.”  
As Corvo walked away Markus said, “We’re just going to let him walk away?” 

“We can’t call a carriage and the trains don’t run that direction, either way he’d infect those too.” 

“We should just shoot him,” One of them said. “Why risk it?” 

He was shoved hard. “That’s our Lord Protector you’re talking about!” But when they turned to look down the street Corvo was gone. Like he had vanished into thin air. “Where did he…?” 

“Told you,” was all that was said. 

Corvo had blinked to the rooftops. He couldn’t believe this had happened. While running missions for the Loyalists he had been in contact with weeper bile before. Nothing had ever happened to him. Why now of all times he had to go to Quarantine was beyond him. He had the dark thought of just killing the guards and saying the weepers got them, but those thoughts didn’t belong to him. He wasn’t a murderer, despite the deaths that were caused by his blade. His mark burned bright as he moved from rooftop to rooftop. He clenched his hands and moved faster, expelling as much of the Void magic as he could. When he was frustrated he could feel it build up, like water in a backed up pipe, ready to burst. 

He slowed his pace only slightly as he neared quarantine zone five. Crovo stopped on a rooftop adjacent to the complex and leaned against a brick chimney. The quarantine zone consisted of several run down buildings, multiple large white tents, and an open space surrounded by smaller tents and rubble arranged in tiny shacks. The whole thing was surrounded by high wire fences topped with barbed wire and three pylons stood at the entrance. To Corvo it looked more like a prison than a place for the sick to heal. 

But that’s where the truth lay, didn’t it? Under Burrows the sick were typically shot on sight, and the ones who weren’t were left to fend for themselves. A few quarantine zones had been set up, but they were more like mass graves than anything else. Corvo remembered crossing through one while leaving the flooded district. The whole situation had made his skin crawl. The truth of the matter was that the infected of Dunwall hadn’t seen a kind hand or thought since Jessamine. Emily wanted to do better than Burrows, and in a surprisingly adult move asked for special quarantine zones to be set up with whatever remaining doctors were around, she demanded fresh food and water cut with exiliers to be distributed to the infected survivors. In her heart she believed there would be a cure and her people would be saved. Corvo couldn’t be more proud.

However, the camps might have been better, but they were still a death sentence for most. He looked down at his hand and his mark glowed intensely, as if reacting to his uncertainty. Perhaps the magic of the Void would keep him safe, it already burned through his blood. Corvo watched with bored eyes as people moved within the camp. Many were visibly sick, and most stuck to their tents or around the fire. He couldn’t head down there yet, he arrived far too quickly to be believable on the reports. A consequence of blinking most of the way. So he sat back and waited for the sun to crawl across the sky. 

His coat reeked but he didn’t take it off, even up on a rooftop he was worried that his wings could be spotted. It wouldn’t help the smell much, his whole front was coated in bile and blood. Most of it had dried thick on the fabric and Corvo wrinkled his nose in disgust. He sat down and tilted his head back to try to doze for a bit. It would probably be the last semi decent chance he got of sleep for two weeks. He couldn’t imagine life in the tents down there was going to be very glorious. 

He was jolted out of his nap by the sound of something heavy hitting the cobble down below. Corvo turned his head and saw a patrol of Tallboys walk by. “What’re they up to?” Corvo wondered out loud. He didn’t remember ordering any of those units out until their mental health was cleared. He inherited a mess after Burrows was thrown out. Corvo wasn’t around when the Stilt Walkers, or Tallboys were conceived, he was rotting away in Coldridge, so he hadn’t known that took soldiers and drugged them halfway into the Void. The revelation made Corvo ill and he had the program halted indefinitely. “I’ve only been out of the picture for a few hours and people are already overriding my policies.” Corvo sighed and leaned back against the chimney. He’d be having a stern conversation with the commanding officers back at the City Watch headquarters. He hoped the unit wasn’t sent to look for him, he couldn’t have slept long enough to be late and it's not like they’d know which route he took to walk here. 

The sound of surprised people filtered in from below. The Tallboys were used specifically to torment the infected and weepers. High above the population they were safe from any biological attacks the weepers employed. He knew from personal experience that they carried incendiary and explosive rounds for their bows and they rarely missed. He absent mindedly rubbed at a scar from when he took down a Tallboy with just his sword. His heart still fluttered with the memory. Soon the slight tremors caused by their walking faded away and everyone seemed to relax.

Corvo did too, he didn’t realize he had tensed up at all. He folded his arms and looked down at the camp. He’d put it off for long enough. He kept telling himself that if things went sideways he could just blink out there. He removed the only vial of Piero’s Spiritual Remedy he had and drained it in case he needed the extra boost it gave him. There was plenty of time to think through what he was going to tell Sokolov when he got there. Corvo had been running the hypothetical conversation through his head for days. 

He bit his lip and just decided to go for it. He slid down the roof onto a balcony out of eyesight from the quarantine zone. Once on the ground he steadied himself and walked forward. Every part of his mind screamed at him not to do this, but he reasoned that if Coldridge couldn’t hold him, neither could this place. 

There were two attendants at the gate, at first they paid him little attention until it became clearer who approached. Then they stood at alert. “Lord Protector, Sir!” One said, a younger boy who Corvo didn’t recognize. The other was a lady guard he had definitely seen at some of their security meetings. 

“What brings you here? We’re not due for a safety check until next week.” 

“I know,” Corvo paused before saying awkwardly, “I’m actually here to uh, submit myself to quarantine.” He couldn’t believe the words fell from his mouth. The guards didn't’ seem to believe it either. They looked at him with wide eyes. “I uh, had a bit of a run in with some weepers back near the Distillery District. Got coated in bile,” the guards looked at his soiled clothes and flinched. “My patrol gently suggested I submit myself to quarantine, better safe than sorry, right?” 

“Gently?” The male guard asked.

Corvo smirked. “They might have pulled a gun on me.” 

“They threatened to shoot you? The Lord Protector? That takes some balls.” 

The girl laughed. “Or a defective brain, are you sure _they_ aren’t infected?” 

Corvo shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, I’m here now.”

“Indeed you are,” the woman said, Corvo could have sworn her name was Lucy but didn’t want to be wrong. She handed him a piece of paper and a pen. “I need you to fill out these papers before we admit you in. Just so you know, this document will be sent to the archives and kept as proof of your willing admittance. Upon successful completion of quarantine your status will be changed from “possibly infected” to “healthy” once more.” 

Corvo nodded and asked, “And how often do people successfully complete quarantine?” 

The two looked at each other and cleared their throats. “Uh, when you’re done, please step this way for security clearance and your examination. Your weapons and clothing will taken and-” 

“No,” Corvo said. The guards sighed and he quickly added, “I don’t mean to be a handful, but I’m not going unarmed. That’s just how this is going to work.” He could see them about to protest and said, “You can have my crossbow, pistol, the grenades I’m carrying, and the mines, but the sword stays with me. It’s too precious for me to lose sight of.” 

He handed over the items he was willing to part with and then said, “I would like to speak with Sokolov, if possible. I want him to do my examination and I will accept no other.” 

“Why Sokolov?”  
“He’s the Royal Physician,” Lucy said with an annoyed tone. “That’s probably why he walked all the way over here from the Distillery District. Of course Lord Protector, I’ll send someone to fetch him right away.” 

“We can take your coat while you wait,” the boy said trying to be helpful.

Corvo shook his head again. “I’ll keep it until Sokolov examines me.” His tone suggested that this was another thing he wasn’t budging on. The boy didn’t argue with Corvo and let it drop. 

Soon he spotted the taller figure of Sokolov walking beside some other quarantine staff. He was wearing a mask over his nose and face and his black hair and beard stuck out as a stark contrast to the white of the mask and lab coat. “Corvo!” He said loudly. “They told me you were waiting and still I did not believe it. What unfortunate circumstances we find ourselves meeting once more.” 

Corvo agreed. “I had hoped to meet with you and Piero to discuss some matters but things hardly always go as planned.” 

“That is one of the many truths,” Sokolov said and stepped through the gate. “Follow me Corvo, we can do your examination in one of the tents, I’m sure you’re clean, but you know the rules of course.” 

Corvo nodded glumly and followed behind Sokolov. As they approached a line of medical tents Corvo could see several people being examined out in the open. _This won’t do._ “Hey Anton, do you have a place that would be more private? Away from the public eye?” 

“Corvo I did not think you of all people valued yourself above that of your common man. Has the palace gotten to your ego?” 

Corvo realized it was probably a lighthearted jab but he said sternly, “There’s something I must show you that no one else can see.” 

Sokolov turned to him with eyes far wiser than Corvo’s. “You aren't’ infected are you? There’s more to this isn’t there?” 

Corvo sniffed the sleeve of his coat and grimaced. “No, I am very much covered in weeper bile, however there is something else going on and I’m going to need you alone.” 

“We can use my lab, it has a shower and a screened off section, will that work?” 

“As long as we aren’t disturbed.” Corvo followed him to a small building off to the side of the medical tents. As they walked Corvo’s nerves seemed to wind themselves tighter and tighter. He knew this moment would be coming, but he had hoped it would be of his own will and not so sudden. He could only guess at Sokolov’s reaction, the man was a bit of a mystery. They were on friendly terms however, for someone who Corvo had choked out and kidnapped, so he figured he was lucky. 

Sokolov opened the door to the building and motioned Corvo inside. “This is my lab, excuse the mess.” Corvo walked to an examination table and stood awkwardly by it. “Go on and undress, I’ll get the paperwork and tools.” He left and came back quickly but noticed Corvo was still fully clothed. “Trust me Corvo, you don’t have anything I don’t, no need to be shy.” 

Corvo coughed uncomfortably and said, “Actually that’s where you’re wrong.” He looked around anxiously noting that the door was shut and he moved to draw the curtains. “There’s no one else in here right?” 

“What? No, Corvo it’s just us.” He hadn’t ever seen the Royal Protector looked unnerved. “What’s going on? You’re not bleeding from the eyes are you?” 

Corvo shook his head. “I’m not infected, not that I know of anyways.” He looked up at Sokolov and said firmly. “I need your word that what you are about to see stays between you and me. You cannot tell anyone else, do you promise?” 

“Promises? Corvo what are we? Children?” 

Corvo narrowed his eyes. “Let me rephrase, tell someone and I will make sure you disappear.” 

“Understood. Now what is it?” He saw Corvo take a deep breath and take off his jacket, it hit the floor and so would have Sokolov’s jaw if it wasn’t firmly attached to his face. “By the Void,” was all he could say as he watched what appeared to be black wings unfurl from Corvo’s back. “Are… are those real? Corvo are those wings?” 

He couldn’t look Sokolov in the eyes, a mixture of shame and anxiety kept him doing so. He nodded and weakly said, “Yes. They are real.” He turned around so he could get a better look and flexed them. 

Hesitantly Sokolov reached out to touch one, it was warm and he could feel a pulse under the feathers. “I...I’m speechless Corvo. How…” Then it hit him. “You’re Void touched aren’t you? Your left hand, let me see it.” 

It wouldn’t do any good to keep the rest a secret too. “I thought you knew,” Corvo said and pulled off his glove exposing his mark. “Yes,” he held his hand up for Sokolov to see, “this is the Outsider’s Mark, I am one of his Marked. I’ve walked the Void and spoken with it’s god.” 

Sokolov took it gently in his own hand and ran his fingers over the pattern branded on Corvo’s skin. It was warm under his touch and it started to shine brilliantly, a blue smoke emanated from it and he withdrew his hand. “I had seen this mark upon your skin at the Hound Pits, I didn’t recognize it then, even though I should have. Maybe I just didn’t want to believe.” 

“You’re the only one who knows,” he admitted softly. “Besides maybe Emily, she’s seen it but doesn’t fully understand what it is. Piero might know as well. I figured you two would be safe to tell, you’ve both walked dangerously close to the Void in your dreams, and you’ve dabbled in research.” 

“H-How do you know that?” 

“The uh, the Outsider told me,” Corvo admitted. He pulled his shirt and vest off with a grunt, the fabric raked across his feathers and pulled them up. “You’re the only person who’s ever seen these though,” Corvo added. “Is it safe for me to shower here? Are you going to tell anyone?” Sokolov shook his head. “Thank you,” Corvo said earnestly. “I had no idea what I was going to do.” 

Sokolov pulled the curtain back on the shower. “Be quick Corvo I don’t have much for hot water here, or any water if I’m honest.” To give himself something to do he picked up Corvo’s soiled coat and vest. “You probably won’t be getting these back,” he said as he tossed them into a sack. 

“I thought as much.” Corvo took off his leather strap filled with bone charms and placed it on the table. “Do you have some place secure?” He asked. “To store these while I’m in the shower.” 

“Charms? Corvo I didn’t know you believed the old myths,” Sokolov looked at the collection of bone charms that hung from the leather. It was pretty impressive, there were many different shapes and each had a small symbol inscribed on the white bone. “A hold over from your sailing days in the Serkonan Navy?” 

“They enhance my abilities,” Corvo said quickly removing his boots and pants. He walked over to the sack and pulled out the two runes that he forgot to remove from his coat and tossed those onto the table too. “I need those runes hidden too.” 

“I’ve… I’ve seen these at shrines to the Outsider, Corvo do they have a meaning? An importance?” 

“Yeah, they enhance my connection to the Void,” he hesitated before adding, “they also make my wings grow.” He could tell was Sokolov was both confused and curious. “I’ll explain more when I don’t reek of weeper vomit,” he promised. He pulled the curtain closed around the shower and took a few deep breaths. _I did it. Someone knows._ Maybe now he could relax a bit. 

The water came down in a steady stream, it wasn’t nearly as hot as the palace water but that was to be expected. He quickly ran his hands through his thick hair, for the first time in his life he regretted having it long. There was a bottle of shampoo on a shelf near the shower which he grabbed and pour generously into his hands. It was tough to work the bile out of his hair but he was making progress. He was able to run his hands through his hair mostly uninterrupted and he moved on to the rest of his body. 

He was washing his legs when he heard someone open the door to Sokolov’s lab. Corvo snapped to attention and folded his wings tightly against his back and moved against the wall. The curtain was thick but he didn’t know how much of his outline could be seen. He heard a feminine voice call out for Sokolov and then the sound of the door closing as she entered the lab.

Sokolov appeared from a back room and Corvo was impressed at how level his voice was. “Did you not see the sign on the door? I’m no to be disturbed at the moment.” 

“I’m sorry, I must have missed it. It’s just you and the Lord Protector right? It couldn’t have been that important, it’s just a physical.” 

“If you want to keep your job, I suggest you don’t make those leaps in judgment.” He sounded firm and Corvo wished he could see more but he didn’t even want to activate dark vision for fear of his mark glowing. He heard the door open again then shut and this time the distinct sound of a lock being turned. 

“I’m sorry Corvo, that won’t happen again.” 

Corvo wanted to reply but he couldn’t find his voice. He hadn’t realized how much faster his heart had started to beat. Quickly he finished scrubbing himself down and fluffed his feathers up so water could seep between them. He wasn’t sure if he’d get a chance to bathe again during his stay. He assumed Sokolov would let him back in to use his shower if he asked, but he also didn’t know if he’d be treated as a normal civilian by Sokolov and not anyone with higher than average privilege. After he was certain he was clean and his wings thoroughly rinsed out he stepped out of the shower and into a towel. 

There was a pile of clean clothes on the table, he assumed they were meant for him. After pulling on the underwear and pants he felt a little better. “Do they fit?” Sokolov asked. “They’re spares from my dresser, we’re roughly the same size so I had hoped they’d work. 

Corvo nodded and sat down at one of the tables. He leaned a hand on his face and shook out a wing which sent water droplets flying. “The pants are fine, but…” he eyed the shirt. “I don’t know if that will fit.” 

Sokolov sat opposite of Corvo, he tried not to stare at the wings on the Lord Protector’s back but it was hard, they were districting to say the least. “How do you hide them around the tower?”

“Back when they were smaller I could just slip them under a shirt and my jacket covered the bumps. Now they’re a great deal bigger and it’s becoming hard.” He sighed. “Layers, mostly I guess. But I have a feeling that’s going to be tricky in a quarantine situation. I don’t have any of my thick overcoats.” 

“No, but I have a few.” He opened a drawer and pulled out the long leather strap that had Corvo’s bone charms. “You’ve been using this to tie them down?” 

“A little bit, it’s more of a reminder to keep them still when I’m out with the guard. It’s hard to resist flexing them, especially when walking or if I stretch my own arms.” 

Sokolov watched Corvo who seemed absolutely miserable. “I can cut holes in the shirt, it’s no big deal, I just need to measure out the size, and you can borrow one of my jackets to throw over them. You’ll get through this.” 

“What if I _do_ catch the plague here?” Corvo said and rested his face on the table. “The two guards didn’t make me feel like my chances were very good.” 

Sokolov shrugged. “If you catch the plague I’ll keep you in a special quarantine until Piero and I can find a cure.” 

“Are you close?” 

Sokolov had gotten up and was now standing behind Corvo with a measuring tape. “He thinks we’re on the cusp of a breakthrough, but Piero always thinks we’re close to a breakthrough. It’s hard to say honestly.” He wrote down some measurements on a spare piece of paper and returned to the other side of the table. “You shouldn’t be too worried,” Sokolov said. “You’re a great deal stronger than I am and I’ve been in heavy contact with this camp for weeks now.” He looked up and saw that Corvo didn’t seem too convinced. “I’ll give you a set of masks, wear a new one every day and burn the old one when you’re done. You can have two elixirs, full, the ones I take. They’re a new more powerful blend and we came up with.” 

“What does everyone else get?” Corvo asked curious. 

“They receive a quarter dose of the regular elixirs found on the market now. The water is also cut with it, we simply do not have the resources to give everyone full vials.” He took out a pair of scissors and started cutting out slots for Corvo’s wings. “It’s the sad truth here. As for where you’ll be staying,” he paused a moment to think. “Ah, the roof. We can set you up on the roof of the building we use as the kitchen and storage. Nobody should bother you up there. You can reach right?” He gestured to Corvo’s wings. 

He flapped them uselessly and said, “I can get up there no problem but it won’t be because I flew. These things are way too small.”  
Sokolov considered that and said, “Can you extend them all the way?” Corvo shrugged and did as he asked. It did feel good to stretch them as far as they could go. “Yes, they’re a bit smaller than I thought. You said runes make them grow?” 

“That’s right, but I don’t want them to get any bigger than this, they’re enough of a burden as is.” Corvo crossed his arms and folded them again. “It’s also painful and I’d rather not. Upward mobility isn’t a problem for me anyways.” 

“I have always wondered just how you got up to my lab back at my house. You came from the rooftops and never stepped foot inside. Did you climb? My walls are brick, there couldn’t have been much purchase.” 

Corvo answered honestly, “I blinked.” 

“You what?” 

“It’s a uh, a power granted by the Outsider. Like teleportation.” He could already tell that he was expected to give a demonstration. He stood up and stretched. The lab wasn’t the best space for this kind of power but he’d make it work. Corvo closed his eyes and found his power waiting for him. He brought his hand up and the Void whispered the words that allowed him to move through the air like the wind and he disappeared only to reappear across the lab. Sokolov gasped and turned around searching for him. “Over here,” Corvo said. “I can use this to go vertically too, not just horizontally. I can reach rooftops, balconies, street lights, chandeliers, you name it I can probably reach it.” He blinked back to his chair and leaned on his hand again, the blue smoke just fading away. “I call it blink because it gets me places in a blink of an eye.”

“What else can you do?” 

Corvo hesitated in answering. “There’s lots of things, I’m not sure I want to share right now.” 

“And these charms?” 

“They… speak to me,” Corvo said and hoped he didn’t sound too crazy. “Each one sings a song to lead me to where it is, then they whisper to me and tell me what powers or protections they can grant me.” 

Sokolov looked at string of charms and lifted one to his ear, putting down the shirt he was working on. “I don’t hear anything, I’ve never heard anything.” 

“I think you have to be marked for it to work. But I’ve read notes and journals that appear to suggest that unmarked individuals can hear runes. The result is… less than favorable for the human.” He had seen many dead by the Void that leaked out of the runes, the few who could hear it and couldn’t handle it. Some had been driven mad and other killed in a fit of protective rage, even loved ones weren’t spared. Corvo shook his head at the terrible memory.  
“How did you become marked? What did you do?” 

“I still don’t know, the Outsider won’t tell me why he picked me, not fully anyway.” Corvo growled under his breath, “He doesn’t tell me anything useful.” He did look up at Sokolov and say, “I wouldn’t go looking for him, he’s not fond of you.” 

“Oh?” 

“He said he’s seen what you’ve done at his shrines and he wasn’t impressed. You weren’t doing the right things, he said, “If he wants to get my attention, he could start by being a bit more interesting.”.” 

“More interesting?” Sokolov scoffed. “Impossible. I’m the greatest mind in all the Isles! I’ve sailed to Pandyssia! My artwork hangs in the greatest galleries and my books found in every grand library!” 

Corvo had to chuckle at his outrage. “I can’t help you cater to a god of the Void. He’s four thousand years of mystery. I don’t know what to suggest. To me you sound more than interesting enough.” 

“I’ve only glimpsed the Outsider once, on the edge of the Void as the last thread of a dream unraveled. It was just a glimpse yet it was enough to burn his image into my mind. I awoke and painted what I had seen immediately. I haven’t seen him since.”

“You’re not alone,” Corvo said dryly. “I haven’t heard from in weeks. I would have liked an explanation on why he gave me wings, but no such luck.” 

“So they were Void gifted… by the Outsider himself. No wonder you worked yourself up over being spotted. That mark and these wings make you a prime target for the Overseers.” Corvo nodded. Sokolov stood and passed the shirt over to Corvo. “See if the holes fit while I dig around for a jacket for you to use.” 

Corvo did as instructed. Shirts were becoming tricky as his wings grew in. He folded them down and slipped the shirt over his head, then carefully bent an arm back to grab the edge of the fabric and pull a wing through. He did the same for the other wing before putting his arms through the sleeves and pulling the shirt down. The holes seemed to fit, they were loose around the base feathers which was nice. Corvo’s old shirt rubbed and he hadn’t gotten time to fix it. Sokolov came back with two jackets, one was far thicker than other. That was the one he wanted to reach for, but then remembered they were entering into the Month of Seeds and it would be getting warmer soon. He stood and reached for the lighter looking coat and put it on. It seemed to fit him ok, if not a little tighter around the arms than he was used to. 

“I can hardly make them out,” Sokolov said, “and that’s only because I know what to look for.” He could see a visible relief spread across Corvo. “For your mark you can use these bandages for now.” Corvo accepted them and started to wrap his hand up as if he had an injury. It seemed to cover it well enough. Next Sokolov handed a stack of white masks, the same as the one he was wearing earlier. 

Corvo said, “I don’t know how I can thank you for not… you know, immediately calling the Abbey on me.” 

“You owe me explanations of the Void, and I’d like to see more of your powers.” 

“That I can do,” Corvo said. He shrugged off the coat and reached for his bone charms. “Oh yeah, Sokolov, there’s something else I wanted to ask you.” Sokolov nodded and Corvo continued to speak as he wrapped the leather around his wings and chest. “I was wondering if either you or maybe Piero could make a harness for my wings.” Saying the phrase “my wings” out loud still sounded weird to Corvo. “I want something better for holding them in place, something more secure that could maybe force them to lay flat against my back.” 

“And you’d be ok with telling Piero as well?” 

“He’s walked the Void in his dreams and seen my mark, I saved his life, he owes me.” Corvo didn’t think Piero would be one to snitch to Abbey, not when he’s seen what he was capable of and built half of the equipment used to take down the Lord Regent’s rule. “I just don’t want to pull either of you away from any important work on a cure.” 

“I’m sure we could spare some time to sew some leather together Corvo. Speaking of a cure, you still have a physical to finish.” 

Corvo rolled his eyes and put the jacket back on. “We both know I’m healthier than average, I don’t see why it’s necessary. Just make something up, say I had a pulled shoulder or something.” 

Sokolov laughed and unlatched the door. “Come Corvo, you can’t live in my lab, as much as you probably want to. I’ll show you around.” 

“You sure I can’t just crash here?” It looked a lot nicer than a tent outside. 

“No, you can’t.” He said rather sternly and Corvo sighed and followed him outside into the hustle and bustle of the makeshift camp. “The main gates don’t open unless one of the head guards gives the signal, I wouldn’t try escaping that way if you do decide to bolt.” 

“I wasn’t planning on leaving,” Corvo said. “This isn’t Coldridge, I’m sure I’ll survive.” 

“In anycase, the Pylons come on at dark, so don’t try to storm the front. Over there,” he pointed directly across from their location, “that’s the kitchen and storage building I told you about. Dinner is served at six-thirty every day, and breakfast at eight.” 

“Food any good?” Corvo asked hopefully. Sokolov just snorted. 

“The medical tents are up front, nearest to the entrance, you shouldn’t need to go near them.” They approached a different, larger tent marked supplies and Sokolov said, “I need one set up.” The lady inside the tent passed a bundle of fabric over to Sokolov who then pressed it to Corvo’s chest. “That’s your tent, bedroll, and a fire starter kit. You are allowed one bundle of wood per night for a fire, please don’t burn down the kitchen.” 

Corvo took everything and asked, “Are there any rules here?” 

“Yeah, don’t start fights. I noticed you kept your blade, it doesn’t look like one so that should be ok. Obviously no escaping, don’t go near the weeper pen-” 

“Weeper pen?” 

“Yes, the weeper pen. We need a supply of them to test the cures on. They’re off to the back of the camp, on the right. They’re fenced in well, they shouldn’t be a problem. You get what is handed to you at meal time, no more or less. Water is rationed and you can get a refill for your canten in the afternoon. Stop into my lab to get your elixir supply. Don’t talk about it and just drink the small amount they serve at meal time.” 

“Got it,” Corvo said. It all seemed pretty simple, stay out the way of others, play nice, he was starting to think he could handle this. 

“I can be found in my lab after breakfast. I leave and lock the door around eight every day. Today I’ll be leaving earlier, I need to go to the main lab and tell Piero about today’s… excitement. Oh! Before I forget, the latrine is along the back wall.” 

_Latrine? Fantastic_ “I suppose there’s no shower?” Sokolov shook his head. “Can I use yours?” 

“Most likely, I’ll allow it once or twice.” He turned and clapped Corvo on the shoulder. “Best of luck to you. Remember to wear your mask and you’ll have to stop by my lab every three days to get your blood drawn for testing.” Before he left he pulled out a vial of elixir and slid it into one of Corvo’s coat pockets, as well as what he could feel were his two runes. 

Then Corvo was on his own, standing in the middle of quarantine zone five. He looked around and decided to set up his tent and try to get comfortable. The kitchen building was old and brick, the roof about four stories up. The roof was flat, most likely made of concrete, as Sokolov implied he could start a fire up there. He approached the building warily, there were no guards anywhere to be seen. He walked around the side found the remains of a metal ladder that was once a fire escape. Now it was far too broken to support anyone’s weight. Corvo tested it and didn’t want to risk it. He climbed on top of an old dumpster and looked for a way up that wouldn’t require him to blink. If he had both hands free he figured he could find handholds on the windowsills and then quickly ascend the remains of the ladder. For now he jumped extra high and projected himself onto the roof with blink. The fabric of the jacket pulled a bit as he hauled himself over the brick ledge and onto the roof. 

It was completely flat, and the brick half-wall added only the smallest of windbreak to the building. There wasn’t any dirt to stick the stakes of his tent into so he had to improvise with some loose bricks he found. He braced the legs of the tent, which was more like a thin canvas blanket pinned over a few rods, it didn’t have a flap for a door or back so he had to position it so the wind wouldn’t blow in. He set the bedroll out under it and was discouraged to find that it didn’t come with a blanket. Now he regretted not taking the thicker coat. 

He arranged the sticks given to him in the starter pack and ringed them with more bricks he found along the roof. He looked over his meager accommodations and seriously debated blinking across to the next rooftop and looting some buildings. Surely he could scrounge up a musty blanket or some old tinned meat. 

But he decided that it would be too risky to vanish during the day and instead climbed back down to the ground to look around. He hadn't felt this out of place since first landing in Dunwall twenty two years ago. Perhaps back then, this shanty town would have felt like home but now he was distinctly aware of how good his life had become. Corvo was no stranger to sleeping outside or scavenging for food, he did that often while working with the Loyalists and slept in less than savory locations when he was betrayed. But this was different and he knew that he was clearly the outsider this time.

Corvo wasn't sure what to do with his time. Normally he had things to do to keep him busy. Reports to read and write, someone to watch over, a patrol to lead, at the very least a book to read. Here he had nothing but the bone charms under his coat. He decided to observe for his first day. Corvo found a spot in a withered old tree to sit, listen, and watch those around him.

It wasn't the most exciting thing he had ever done but it passed time all the same. His attention was pulled to the kitchen when he heard a sharp whistle blow and he watched a string of people shuffle and stumble inside. “Dinner time I suppose.” He heaved himself off of the tree and landed lightly. “Let's see what's they're serving.”

Dinner ended up being a bowl of water masquerading as soup. It was warm, smelled and tasted faintly of potatoes, and a few lonely cubes of what he guessed were carrots and potted meat floated around. There was also a hard bread roll and a small cup of red elixir finished the meal.

Corvo didn't complain. He knew that he could be eating nothing. However, as he stared down at the watery soup, he considered catching a few rats for over the fire. A few people had given him looks during dinner, he sat alone near the back and ignored them. He was sure word would spread fast throughout the camp that the Royal Protector was here in quarantine. 

He piled his dishes up and dropped them in the bin with the others. As he left he spotted a staircase off to the side that was flanked by two bored guards. He figured that that lead up to the storage area and the guards were protecting whatever meager supplies they had. Corvo couldn't imagine them standing a chance if the whole camp wanted in, however they couldn't escape, so a revolt would only hurt. They'd cut off food supplies and they'd all slowly starve. He also thought a bit darkly that he could easily slip past them with a quick stop time and blink combination. The world really wasn’t prepared for those touched by the Void. He felt his feathers raise at the thought. 

He swung by the resource tent and left with a small bundle of wood, most of it looked like it was taken from abandoned homes as salvage, there were no branches or logs. _The city is cannibalizing itself._ He blinked up to the roof, no one saw him it had gotten dark enough to hide his movements, and dropped the firewood by his tent. His stomach growled and he cursed under his breath. While he was watching the people he noticed a lack of rodents in the camp, if he wanted extra meat he’d have to go elsewhere to catch it. And at that point he might as well just eat whatever trash he could find. It seemed like he was destined not to eat a good meal until the city recovered. From the stale bread at Coldridge to dumpster diving while with the Loyalists he was amazed he wasn’t skin and bones. 

Corvo started his fire and sat down on the thin bedroll. He pulled out one of the runes and ran his fingers across the smooth, carved surface. This was only for two weeks, he kept telling himself. Just two weeks and he could go back to his bed in the tower and back to Emily.

“Yes,” A voice sounded just to his right, “just two weeks of sqwaller and you’ll be back to the comfort of the palace.” 

Corvo didn’t flinch at the sound of the Outsider’s voice. “Come to laugh?” He said bitterly.

“Of course not.” The Outsider turned away from Corvo and walked to the edge of the roof, he looked over at the inhabitants of the quarantine zone. He saw the people down below, sick and dying, and he also saw the tired doctors working to make things less miserable for those on their way beyond the Void. This was not the first plague the Outsider had seen, but in his four thousand years it never got any easier. “You won’t die,” the Outsider said to Corvo, “not from this.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“The Rat Plague, your mind is swirling with concern over it and if you’ll catch it here and die. I can’t see the future Corvo, contrary to what people think. But I can see variations of the future and none of them have you dying of the plague.” 

“What do I die from then?” 

“Curious aren’t you? One version of you died by Daud’s blade, in another future you didn’t escape Coldridge and your head rolled through the muck-” 

“No what will I die from? Not what could I have died from.” 

The Outsider thought about his answer. “The future that is most common for you, right now, is the one where you simply expire from age.” 

“That’s it?” 

“You were expecting something more exciting I suppose?” The Outsider turned his gaze to the faint outline of Dunwall’s skyline. A city he watched grow out of the ruins of another, a city that forgot its most primal history, and a city he hoped wouldn’t fall. “The future is always changing, always moving, and I can’t see it all with these eyes, and I’ve already seen so much.” 

“How far can you see?” The Outsider had never revealed this much about himself before. Corvo was curious. 

“It’s not that easy, for example I can’t see my own end, and I can’t see your daughter’s they are too far away. I can’t see all the ends a civilization may meet, I can see vague flashes, like a Dunwall on fire, one consumed by sickness and another reclaimed by the sea. But I don’t know when those ends could happen.” The Outsider turned and looked at Corvo, he folded his hands behind his back and walked instead of floated. “Many people criticize me and say that I give my mark to those who will do harm.” 

“Don’t you?” Corvo asked. “It seems like they do more harm in the world.” 

The Outsider raised an eyebrow. “So where do you fall, dear Corvo?” The Outsider asked. “You’re one of my Marked and yet you didn’t turn the rivers to blood.” He could tell Corvo wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words. 

Suddenly Corvo asked, “Why didn’t you mark me before Jessamine died? Why didn’t you give me the chance to save her? Why only after she was gone and I had suffered for it did you give me the power to fight?” Corvo didn’t mean to get so worked up but he could feel his wings pull against the leather band and his feathers raise. 

“You’re misunderstanding me,” the Outsider said, “I do not mark people so they can change the world, I mark people who are on the cusp of a personal change. I give them the power to tip the scales of their lives one way or another. You were wronged, hurt, betrayed and broken. A good man like you was on the verge of giving up. You proved you wanted life by escaping Coldridge and I gave you the power to continue to be a good man, or become an assassin who’s action would throw the Empire into chaos.” The Outsider waved a hand and a shadowy rat appeared to crawl from finger to finger. “I gave you a choice, Corvo. I give all my marked a choice. Rise up against an abuser, fight back against an injustice, gain notoriety and influence for your work. Become better, become worse, it’s all a choice.” 

“What choice did you give Daud?” 

“Now that, Corvo, is something you’ll have to ask him about.” The Outsider walked away, the shadowy rat disappearing as it jumped to his shoulder. “You’re sitting on the divide between worlds. You’ve never been a stranger to walking with a foot on either side of a line. From street brat to army rat you’ve never looked back. A boy from sunny Serkonos dropped into the gloom of Dunwall, you’ve lived off of table scraps and dined with the world’s elite.” The Outsider walked a circle around Corvo’s camp, Corvo himself eyeing him the whole time. “You played the public part of a loyal protector while being a doting father when you thought no one was looking.” He snapped his fingers and Corvo’s mark flared to life under the bandages, Corvo let out a small yelp of surprise. “You carry my mark and run along the rooftops at night while walking the streets with your common man by day. You do more than dream of the Void, you’ve breathed the air of both places. You are so much like a coin, Corvo.” 

Corvo wanted to just shout, “get to the point already” but he didn’t. The Outsider continued his monologue. “Behind the walls of Dunwall Tower you can ignore the plight of the world. The former Lord Regent certainly did just that. But up here in your tower of scraps you can’t ignore what’s in front of you. You knew things were bad, but perhaps you forgot the human side to all this bad?” The Outsider looked directly at Corvo, his gaze held the mortal transfixed. “Take these two weeks and gain a bit of perspective Lord Protector.” 

Then the Outsider vanished leaving Corvo alone with a burning mark. “Perspective huh?” Corvo stood and walked to the ledge and stared down at what the Outsider had been looking at. It was only after he felt his feathers start to lay flat that he realized suddenly. “I forgot to ask him about my wings!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops I'm back at my old shit, writing long chapters. RIP.
> 
> So I'm honestly worried about how this chapter will go down. I've always struggled when writing fics, especially more long form fics, with making them too detailed, or including things that the average reader just does not care about. Like the whole banter with the guards (should I name them btw? Was that scene too hard to read?), or the scene with the shrine at the start. I am really worried that this chapter will be a huge turn off for most because you're probably all interested in the wings and not like... random bits of Dunwall world building. But I also couldn't bring myself to cut what I had written. I'm just so unsure of what people are interested in. Some comments or insight would be nice.
> 
> Also, wings. It IS a wing fic after all. I promise they'll get big enough for him to fly on. Just give it some time. There will be lots of grooming adventures, and nearly getting spotted and then getting spotted, Birdman of Dunwall rumors perhaps? haha.  
> I also teased a Whaler so we all know where that's leading. 
> 
> Another spot of critique I'm looking for, if you're so inclined, is about everyone's voice. I've now played through all the games and I've just started the novel. I haven't read the comics yet. Do the characters sound like the characters? I was especially worried that Sokolov didn't sound quite right, I haven't replayed to get his cadence and word choice down. I think I have a decent grasp on the Outsider, but Corvo is still a bit of a mystery. He's silent in the first game and then fifteen years older in the second, there's no good judge for me to base his first game era voice on. Unlike with the Fallout fandom, there's not a good resource for hearing all the in game dialogue, (unless you're the Outsider then you have tons of videos of your lines). I'll have to do some replaying for later characters. 
> 
> Anyways, if you read this long note bless. I'm thankful for every reader I get for my stories and I'm really hoping for some feedback or even just a comment saying "I liked it". I'm so nervous about this one, and I'm not sure if I have to be. Next chapter will be soonish? I'm on a roll with Dishonored work, but I have a few other fics from other fandoms that need my attention first.


	3. Perspective (Part 1)

\--Day One--

Corvo woke up cold and stiff. The bedroll was so thin it might as well had not been there. It didn’t help that he couldn’t sleep on his back, without any decent cushioning it was too painful for his wings. His fire went out halfway through the night and the cold of the night air settled into his bones. The jacket helped, along with his wings that he kept close to his sides. They added a small amount of softness to what would have been an even more miserable sleep. 

The sun had yet to rise when Corvo stood and stretched. It was a luxurious stretch that pulled all his muscles free from their tightly bound positions they spent the night in. He shook out his wings to align the feathers a bit more before he folded them and put the jacket back on. Corvo was looking forward to the harness that Sokolov and Piero would make. 

Usually in the mornings he would go out running before breakfast to warm himself up, but he wasn’t sure if he should be jogging around the camp or not. So instead he did some stretching, push ups, squats and jumping jacks. When he was finished he could see a few more people start to move down below. Judging by the position of the barely risen sun it was hardly six in the morning. Breakfast wasn’t for another two hours and his stomach was already churning. The Loyalists provided an adequate amount of food and he was back to being spoiled at Dunwall Tower. It was only the first day and he was already feeling like he felt at Coldridge. 

He climbed down the building this time he used a path that didn’t require him to blink. If he wanted to visit his tent during the day he would have to use a more realistic way up and that meant climbing with actual foot and hand holds. It wasn’t as hard as he thought. Though he knew he had become reliant on blink and his other arcane abilities he was pleased that he could still scale a building. After his feet touched down though he felt lost. He didn’t know what to do with his time. He didn’t know the rhythm of the camp and how to fit in with it. But what he did know was stealth and blending in. The only issue was that he was certain he’d be recognized soon. 

As Royal Protector he was well known around the Court, he sat in on every meeting Jessamine had ever attended from the time she was allowed to sit in on them herself to when she ordered him to sail the Isles. He was always seen beside the Empress and after her death his name and face spread through the town quicker than the plague. Everyone thought he killed her and wanted him dead. When he escaped he got the pleasure of seeing his face plastered on every wall and street lamp. He was even blamed for the progression of the rat plague. There was no doubt in his mind that he would be recognized here too without fail. 

Corvo pulled his hair back into a ponytail and adjusted his coat. He kept it buttoned up to the top not only to ward against the chilly morning air, but to hide his leather strap of bone charms and better conceal his wings. He also remembered to take one of the masks out of his pocket and put it over his nose and mouth. 

The camp was still fairly quiet as he walked through the main “road” that lead to the large fire. He noticed that it was never allowed to burn down and few people stood by and warmed their hands against it’s flames. Corvo tried to give them a polite nod and wave but it wasn’t returned. Spirits weren’t high it would seem. _And why should they be? Most of people here know they’re sick and won’t get better._ He walked past the fire and moved along through the tents and watched people wake up and start their day. 

It seemed like everyone had the same shelter that was offered Corvo, while a few had better mattresses or thicker looking bedrolls. Very few had blankets, usually those who did had kids. That caught Corvo by surprise, even though it really shouldn’t have. There were children here, small bodies wracked with pain from fevers and shivering in their tents. His heart beat a bit faster and his breath caught in chest when he imagined his Emily in their place. That was something he didn’t want to think about, but it could become a reality all too quickly if they didn’t manage to get the plague under control. 

Things were bad when he sailed looking for help a year ago and he hadn’t gotten a chance to survey the town before he was thrown in Coldridge. His first real look at Dunwall came when he was running along the rooftops on his first mission for the Loyalists. He couldn’t believe how far Dunwall had fallen. There were so many bodies, Corvo had never seen that many dead in one place. Sometimes he had nightmares about the wrapped bodies coming for him on the streets. He didn’t know why Burrows didn’t seek outside help, why didn’t send a second request for aid, or protect those living in the countryside. All he did was install harsh walls of light and arc pylons in the poorest neighborhoods and give the City Watch free reign to execute whoever they thought were infected. Burrows was a coward, and his superiority complex got them into this mess. Perhaps he’d ask the wretch himself when he was cleared from quarantine. He should still be rotting in Coldridge, his execution date hadn’t been decided. Corvo was sure it would draw a large crowd, as twisted as that was it the truth. Every citizen of Dunwall wanted to see his head roll, and they’d get the chance. 

Corvo reached the end of the road and went to the fence line. He carefully touched it, relieved that it wasn’t electrified. He tested its strength and found it surprisingly sturdy. Nobody was going to bending it out of shape, they could still dig under, he supposed. The top was lined with sharp barbed wire and he could hear the hum of an arc pylon nearby. His hand was still resting on it when a voice sounded from behind him. “Couldn’t even stand one day Lord Protector?” 

He turned around and saw an older man coming towards him. The man coughed roughly. “No, not planning an escape,” he said, and it was the truth, “just checking out the fencing. I hadn’t gotten a chance to inspect this camp, another unit did.” 

“Never thought we’d see your face down here.” 

Corvo shrugged. “The world is full of surprises,” he said. “We got ambushed by weepers out on patrol, I didn’t escape clean enough it would seem.” He extended a cautious hand and said, “Lord Corvo Attano, though I suppose you already knew that.” 

The man looked even more surprised to be offered Corvo’s hand. He took it quickly, shook once, then dropped it. “Alexander Morgan,” he said. “You wouldn’t know me, I was just a dock hand.” 

“Which dock?” 

“Slaughterhouse Row,” he said with a grimace that Corvo echoed. “Not the greatest of smelling, but it paid enough to put food on the table and that’s all that mattered.” 

Corvo nodded. “Back in Karnaca I did some brief dock work before being scooped up by the Serkonan Navy. Though, I worked on a commercial port moving crates of merchandise and raw materials.” 

“I didn’t know that, I always thought you came from some fancy family.” 

Corvo laughed. “No, I actually came from a poorer district in Karnaca, Batista. Lots of silver miners, my father worked for a lumber company. I never wanted to work the mines,” Corvo admitted. “I liked to hear the sound of the ocean and feel the sun on my skin, so I went to the coast to work.” 

“Feel the sun on your skin huh? Why’d you settle here?” Alexander laughed. 

Corvo glanced up at the morning sky which was overcast as if to make a point. “I didn’t choose to move here, I was passed over as a sort of diplomatic gift to the Late Emperor Euhorn Kaldwin. But I didn’t mind. Dunwall’s been a good home to me, it pains me to see it in this state.” He nodded up at the sky. “It could stand to have a few more sunny days however.” 

Alexander walked along the fenceline with Corvo. Eventually Corvo asked, “So, how’d you end up here?” 

“Ha,” he said, “not a tale nearly as honorable as yours. Rats are numerous on the docks, most piers, bays, and shipyards shut down when the plague first sunk its teeth into the town. However the city needed whale oil so Slaughterhouse Row kept its docks open. The monsters loved eating the leftover whales and they bred like crazy. Not even one of them fancy electric towers could keep em down.” He gestured at the arc pylon they passed. “A swarm of them came up behind us and caught us by surprise, old Henry went down and was consumed. Just bones were left,” he shuddered. “A few of them latched on to me as I ran away. I don’t know if it’s the plague, but my coworkers reported me when I started coughing. Bastards.” 

Corvo couldn’t suppress his laughter. “Same thing with me, the City Watch soldiers I was with reported me.” 

“Ain’t that something? You live up in that fancy palace and yet here you are, always thought the rules would be different for people like you.” 

“I’m sure if I had more money or sway in court I could have bribed my way out. I’m just a glorified body guard if I’m honest.” Even though right now he was also acting Royal Spymaster and head of the City Watch. “Though I’ve never been fond of those aristocrats that throw coin around and expect to be exempt from the laws.” 

“Are ya’ worried about young Empress Emily?” 

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. But there’s still a few good members of the Watch hanging around and security is tight at the tower for the moment. Most of my worry has to go to myself right now.” 

“You scared of getting sick? Or are ya’ already sick?” 

“I don’t think I am, but I can’t be too cautious.” They approached the weeper pen and Corvo heard Alexander scoff in disgust. “I’m more worried about this…” 

“Yeah, ain’t nobody sleep well knowing we got these… things? People? Caged up behind us. But that Sokolov guy needs test subjects and it’s better them than me.” 

Corvo wandered close to the pen, there were quite a few weepers awake. They paced the grounds coughing and retching. These ones however, didn’t seem to have the parasitic flies on them. “Do any of them ever talk?” Corvo asked.

“I don’t know, I don’t get close enough to find out.” Alexander stood next to Corvo and said, “They take those of us who start crying blood back here, I know that some were still lucid when it happens, they fight and struggle against the guards. The weepers though, they don’t ever attack newcomers to their pen. Maybe they know?” 

“Maybe. I think there’s still some humanity in there. I just think they’re in a lot of pain from fever, they lash out in fear and confusion. I’ve seen many weepers on patrols, they almost seem normal from afar. They stay close, huddled by fires or near blankets, they seem to group up... I think they’re just really sick.” 

“Let’s hope you’re right.” 

Corvo didn’t get close to the fence to test its strength. He didn’t want to aggravate the weepers inside and cause one to strike out. He definitely didn’t want to shower off weeper bile for the second time in twenty four hours and he thought Sokolov would appreciate not having to throw away his jacket. Instead they turned and walked back along the fencing towards the front of the camp. Corvo found it surprisingly easy to talk with Alexander, the man had a lot of interesting stories from the docks and shipyards that made Corvo’s heart ache for his old home of Karnaca. He had never really been homesick, but the past year had been hard on him. Catching a glimpse of that shining bay from his boat while he sailed to speak with Duke ignited a desire he had long since thought he quashed. 

As they got closer Corvo heard a sharp whistle, like the one sounded for dinner. “Ah, breakfast,” Alexander said. “Lord Protector-” 

“It’s Corvo,” he said. “No need to be formal.” 

“Ah, I see, well then, Corvo you’re welcome to join me for breakfast. Saw you all alone at dinner.” 

“I’d like that,” Corvo said. Typically he wasn’t bothered by being alone, but after spending six months in Coldridge then another month with Loyalists who didn’t want much to do with him besides send him out to do their dirty work, he found himself wanting for human interaction. Getting back on patrols was helping but he wanted to be near people again. Plus the Outsider’s voice echoed in his mind. _Perspective, I was told I needed perspective._ And perhaps the way he would get that would be by talking with the people here and making some quick friends. 

The breakfast line moved a little slower than the dinner one did. People shuffled in, many coughing, others not. The meal ended up being a porridge of sorts. He couldn’t tell if it was oats or rice, maybe a mix of both. It didn’t come with any spices, not that Corvo expected it to. There was another hard roll, a tiny cup of elixir, and three slices of an apple. To him it looked far more appetizing than dinner had. 

Corvo followed Alexander to a table with other men and women. All of them worn out and tired, but even in their exhausted states they mustered a smile and a good humored introduction when Corvo sat down. “Ah, did old Alex here catch ya’?” One of the women said. She had springy red hair and freckles all over. “Better run young man, or you’ll be adopted into the family.” 

“Is that bad?” Corvo asked and sat down next to Alexander. 

“Nah,” a younger guy said, he had brilliant green eyes. Corvo guessed he was originally from Morley though his accent was well hidden. Perhaps an early immigrant. “He just brings in all the new strays.” 

Introductions went fast and Corvo was trying to remember everyone’s name, Niall was the younger man with dusty blond hair and green eyes, Alexander of course he already knew, and across from them sat the red haired lady Alice, then there was Nathan a bigger fellow with long dark brown hair, and Mateo next to him who was, like Corvo, distinctly Serkonan, a shorter, broader lady named Sasha finished out the group. “And of course, we already know you,” Sasha said. 

“Wait, we do?” Alice asked. “I ain’t ever seen him before.” 

“By the Void woman that’s Corvo Attano, you know the bloke they thought killed the Empress?” Niall said. “Where have you been for the last six months?” 

She eyed him suspiciously. “You didn’t really kill the Empress did ya?” Corvo shook his head and she relaxed. “That’s good. I quite liked her. Good woman. Tried her best she did.” 

The pain of losing Jessamine was still fresh for Corvo, but he smiled at her kind remark. “She wasn’t perfect,” he admitted. “Nobody is, but she had heart. I think heart makes up for a lack of diplomatic skills.” 

“Yeah but those diplomatic skills could have helped find us aid in the other nations,” Nathan pointed out.

Corvo shook his head and politely disagreed. “No that failure was mine to bear. I went to the other nations, I asked for help, and I was turned down. Whatever was seen in me clearly wasn’t there as I was able to get no help from any of the Isles.” He sighed. “Besides, the Lord Regent didn’t do much besides sit in his safe room and order more security for himself. I don’t think the man reached out to any nation.” 

“Yeah!” Alice said with force. “That sure didn’t help any of us out! Infact, I bet he was just waiting for us all to die so he could repopulate Dunwall with the elite and wealthy!” 

Niall laughed and said, “There’s a theory for the conspiracy books.” 

_“Speaking of conspiracies,”_ Mateo said directly to Corvo. Corvo’s head whipped up at the sound of Serkonan being spoken. _“Rumor on the dirty streets of Dunwall is that you were responsible for our dear Lord Regent’s fall and the return of the throne to the Kaldwin line. What can you tell me about that? Since we’re all going to die here anyways.”_

Corvo smiled. _“What do you want me to say? That I donned a mask and stalked the streets for a month? That I worked with a group of betrayers who played me a like a guitar? That I single handedly brought down the Lord Regent’s power fueled by nothing but revenge?”_

“Hey, what are you two talking about?” Alice asked with a frown. “I don’t like it when you get all foreign on us.” 

Niall rolled his eyes. “Let them have a moment, you’re just jealous that you never learned Morlish. Don’t take it out on them because they’re fluent in two languages and you aren’t.” 

_“Yeah it was me,”_ Corvo said simply. _“But if you try to tell anyone I’ll deny it to my grave. Treason for the right reasons is still treason and I don’t want to see the inside of Coldridge ever again.”_

 _“Your secret is safe with me,”_ he replied. _“Most of us figured it out. We’re all surprised that you haven't been connected yet.”_

Corvo took a bite of his cooling porridge. _“They’ve tried, I’m clean. I didn’t leave any evidence, unless someone can find my mask. I’m sure they’ll keep trying too, for as long as I’m serving in the Court.”_

 _“That might not be much longer, considering where you are.”_ He laughed and started to eat his own breakfast. 

_“I’ll survive,”_ Corvo said but he couldn’t tell if he was saying it more to Mateo or to himself. “What do you guys normally do here?” Corvo addressed the others, deciding to be part of the rest of the conversation again. “It doesn’t seem like much goes on.” 

“Not much going on?” Alexander said with mock offense. “Why there’s tons going on Corvo! There’s sitting in your tent, standing by the fire, standing by the big fire, getting your blood checked, and getting hauled off to the pen.” 

Alice added, “Sometimes if the guards are feeling friendly you can ask em’ for the day’s news. That’s fun.” 

Mateo spoke up, “The children play tag and hide and seek when they’re feeling up to it.” His Serkonan accent was thick, if Corvo had to place him he’d guess northern Serkonos, near Cullero maybe. Perhaps a newer immigrant to Gristol. He picked a bad time to move north. 

“If you’re Alexander you wait by the main gate and stalk the newcomers.” 

“I do no such thing!” He protested but the smiled. “I just want to make sure they settle in ok. We’ve all heard the stories about quarantine, ain’t no sense in scaring them even further. Though you,” he pointed his spoon at Corvo and nudged him with an arm. “You were hard to pin down, you went straight for old Sokolov’s lab then I lost ya’ after dinner. Turn in early?” 

“I did,” Corvo said. He was suddenly aware that he could have been spotted. 

“Where’s your tent?” Nathan asked. “You could come join our little group, if you so desire.” 

Corvo pointed directly above his head. “I’m up on the roof of this building,” he replied. “While I’m flattered by the offer I think I’ll keep my spot.” 

“Don’t like being down with us common folk?” Sasha asked. “I don’t blame you.” 

He shook his head. “No, nothing like that. I just like being up high. Always have. However, I wouldn’t mind knowing where to find you all. The company has been pleasant so far.” 

Everyone seemed to chuckle at that. “We roped another one in!” Alice said enthusiastically. “And he’s good looking to boot!” 

He could feel his face turn a bit red. Corvo wasn’t a stranger to being complimented, he had gotten lots of attention around the Court and even a few love letters were penned and sent his way. He politely declined them all though, he had his family even if no one else could see it. It had been a half a year since Jessamine passed away, but he hadn’t gotten the chance to properly mourn her passing. Flirting or compliments seemed far away. 

“Alice you’re making him nervous,” Niall said. “Don’t pay her any mind, she says that about everyone.” 

“I do not! Just the extra cute ones.” Everyone laughed, including Corvo. 

They hurried to finish their meals before they could get cold and arguably worse. Breakfast was a bit better tasting than dinner, Corvo asked if that was normal. “Eh,” Nathan said, “beats eating garbage.” He had to agree with that. Corvo hadn’t gotten a chance to ask them all about where they came from within Dunwall. He only knew about Alexander and he wasn’t sure when would be an appropriate time to ask those types of things. Or if it was too invasive to ask. They might all have memories they don’t want to bring up and Corvo could sympathize with that. 

After everyone was done he watched them all raise their glass of elixir and toast. Corvo felt a little awkward but Alexander and Niall grabbed his arm and raised it for him. “To our continued health!” Alexander said and everyone chuckled. 

Corvo left with them, feeling his spirits rise a bit. “Hey,” he was elbowed by Mateo who kept talking, “what’s going on over there?” 

Corvo looked to where he was pointing. There seemed to be a large number of City Watch soldiers heading towards the camp. “I didn’t order a patrol of that size to be sent out,” Corvo said. 

“Tall boys,” he heard Sasha say with disgust. “Are they going to wipe out the camp?” 

Corvo shook his head. “No, Anton would have mentioned something to me yesterday.” 

“Unless you’re slated for removal too.” He heard Nathan say off to his left. 

The group grew closer and that’s when Corvo saw the royal banner and groaned. “Oh no, please no. Do not be what I think it is.” He broke away from the group and ran towards the fenceline. Nobody followed him which was fine. He hit the fence just as individual faces of the guard members had come into view. That’s when he saw a shorter person zip out from behind the line of guard with incredible speed. 

She reached the fence in seconds. “Corvo!” 

Corvo crouched down and stuck his arms through the fence to embrace her. “Emily I ordered you to stay in the palace!” He said harshly. “You are deliberately disobeying me.” 

“I didn’t believe them Corvo! I couldn’t! They said you were sick, that you weren’t coming home!” 

He smoothed her hair back and cupped her face with one hand. He wanted to be mad, he really did but he could only sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose. “I’m not sick-” 

“Then come home! Corvo, Corvo please!” 

“I’m not sick yet,” he said. “I can’t come home until they prove I’m healthy.” 

She grabbed his hand and said, “You can get better at home, you can shut yourself in a room or stay in the basement or out in the barracks!” 

“Emily-” 

“I can’t, I don’t want you to be away!” 

“Emily,” he said again and she looked up into his eyes, hers were already brimming with tears. “Emily I’ll come home, I promise. I will not leave you alone, you just have to be strong. For two weeks, you need to be strong.” Two of the head guards came jogging up. They hesitated in meeting Corvo’s eyes. “Why is she outside of Dunwall Tower?” 

“I… She… Sir she outranks us,” one of the guards said, “by _a lot._ ” 

Corvo groaned and Emily said, “Don’t be mad at them Corvo, I made them do it.”

“I know you made them…” he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, don’t do it again. Stay inside the palace walls, don’t come out. The streets aren’t safe yet and I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

The other guard moved to grab Emily’s shoulder and pull her away from Corvo. “Empress you shouldn’t be touching him, he could be infec-” 

“And you shouldn’t touch _me_ you’re not familiar enough for that,” she said in a voice far colder than any ten year old’s should be. The guard withdrew their hand immediately and backed away and apologized. “Corvo,” she said, suddenly sounding like a different and much kinder person. “You better come home. I’ll wait for you.” 

Corvo gently brushed the last tear from her eye. “Thank you.” He stood up and so did she. He could tell she was putting on her bravest face for him. He turned his attention to the head guard. “Who ordered the tall boys out?” 

“That would be General River Sir.” 

That was troubling. “I instructed they not be used until a full medical examination had been done. They were still screening the results they’re not ready to be redeployed.” 

“I don’t know what to tell you Sir.” 

“I’ll be having a talk with River,” Corvo said. “She better have a damn good reason. Make sure all the daily and weekly reports make it to my desk. I’ll be reading them as soon as I get back.” 

The guard nodded and turned to head back to the main group. Emily slowly followed after letting her hand fall away from Corvo’s. “Hey,” she asked, “can we stop by the waterfront and-” 

“No.” Corvo said sternly to both Emily and the guards. Both of them looked at him and saw how serious he was. 

“Ok, fine.” Emily said. “We’ll go back to Dunwall Tower.” 

Corvo let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and watched the group until they turned a corner and disappeared from view. Part of him expected this kind of behavior from her, the other part had hoped that she would be more mature and not rush out of the tower to see him. Though given what she had been through, he couldn’t really blame her. She had only just started sleeping through the night without waking from night terrors. Losing both of her parents so quickly took a toll on her and while she wouldn’t ever admit it she is terrified of being all on her own. Corvo made a vow that she wouldn’t be on her own, that she’d always have him there beside her, and he wasn’t going back on his word now. 

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but Alexander came jogging over. “The Empress huh? Guess she was here for you. Did she try to bribe you out?” 

“No,” Corvo shook his head, “but I wouldn’t put it past her to try. She was just concerned, wanted to make sure I was alive. I guess the report freaked her out.” 

“She is but a child,” he remarked. “You must mean something special to her if she’d do that for you.” 

Corvo nodded but didn’t elaborate. There was only so much he could tell and the public knew it all already. “Why don’t you show me to your group’s tents? So I know where to find you all.” Sokolov hadn’t come in yet, from what Corvo could see, so he still had time before he had to report to him to get his blood drawn, and possibly meet with Piero. 

Piero Joplin, now there’s someone he hadn’t spoken with since The Hound Pits. The last he saw of the inventor was when he left the Hound Pits in Samuel’s boat, Piero was checking to make sure the soldiers sent to kill them really were just knocked out. Sokolov he had been in contact with, as the Royal Physician he had to make sure both Corvo and Emily were healthy and not impacted by their previous ordeal. Emily checked out fine and Corvo was put on a weight gain diet and ordered not to exert himself. He never was good at following a doctor’s orders.

He just hoped that Piero would react as Sokolov had, surprised, but eager to help out. He really didn’t want to make him disappear, not when he had been such a help in restoring Emily to the throne. Plus he gained the honorable distinction of being one of only a few people who didn’t betray him from the Loyalists, and that meant a great deal to Corvo. 

The tents were arranged neatly in rows with a small space between them, big enough for two people to walk side by side. His newfound friends had claimed a section of tents on either side of the road. Mateo, Alice and Niall were already sitting outside their tents and looked up when Alexander and Corvo approached.

“What was all the fuss about?” Alice asked. 

“Are we being wiped out?” Niall said, bored. 

Alexander shook his said. “It was just the Empress of the Isles Emily Kaldwin stopping by for a visit.” 

“The Empress?” Alice raised an eyebrow. “What was she here for?” 

Niall rolled his eyes. “For him,” he said and pointed at Corvo. “I thought you could have figured that out.” 

“Oh yeah, you’re like a courtly boy.” Everyone seemed to groan. 

“Ah, yes, I suppose you could say that. I am currently serving as Royal Protector for Empress Emily Kaldwin.” 

“Think you’ll do better than last time?” Mateo asked. “I mean you certainly didn’t do much protect-” 

Niall cut him off with a sharp cough. “Why didn’t you go back with them? Surely that’s why they came out all this way, to get you to come back with them right?” 

“I’m not exempt from the rules,” Corvo said simply. “Lord or not. There were a few nobles who did try to buy their way out of quarantine and many, many more who sold their neighbors into it. The bigger the mansion the more your peers wanted you gone. It’s… disturbing,” Corvo settled on. “It’s disturbing the reports I’ve read. Healthy people were basically sold into quarantine by their neighbors or even a greedy friend who could then buy out their property. I’ve even heard that the Lord Regent himself was encouraging certain parts of the Court to falsify reports of infection so that the government could swoop in and buy expensive properties.” 

“The rich are sicker than we are!” Alice remarked. “Sometimes I believe that ole’ line of horse crap the Abbey spews about this being our punishment. Because it sure as the Void seems like it.” 

“Have you guys heard… how much news do you get here? When were you quarantined?” Corvo asked. Everyone looked at him, a Niall and Mateo had their eyebrows raised. “Um, is that too personal?” 

“No, it’s not. Not for us anyways,” Alexander said. “I’ve been here the longest, at nearly five months-”

“Five months?” Corvo exclaimed. “They said you could leave after two weeks…” 

“I can’t be cleared,” Alexander explained. “I have always had poor health and the doctors can’t be sure if I’m clean or just have a mild form of the plague. Anyways, I’ve been here the longest, Niall and Alice came in together-” 

“But not like that,” Alice was quick to add.

“They came in together roughly about a month ago. Then Sasha joined the camp about three weeks ago, Nathan shortly after that and Mateo here was our newest before you stumbled in.” 

Corvo had a few questions but he decided to finish his train of thought first. “So then you all might have heard the information about Hiram Burrows. This wasn’t some divine punishment, Burrows brought the plague here with the intent of wiping out the poor of Dunwall. Then things got out of control.” 

“Figures,” Niall said, his voice heavy with disgust. “The poor and the downtrodden are always the scapegoat of the upper class.” 

“You sound like you’re speaking from experience?” Corvo questioned. 

Niall laughed. “By the Void no. I’m from _Morley_. I can’t think of a worse country to be an immigrant from than that. You think you had a tough time being Serkonan? Try having people blame you for the death of an Empress.” 

“I have,” Corvo said quietly. 

He swallowed and shifted his eyes away from Corvo. There wasn’t an apology mumbled but it still hung in the air. “I don’t speak from the experience of being a noble, or even among a wealthy family, I speak from a place of knowing because the same shit happens in every country. In Morley… things were… bad, to say the least both before and after the war.”

Corvo said, “I was only a child of four when that was going on. Not old enough to recollect all the details, but old enough to remember the influx of people fleeing and seeking shelter in Serkonos.” 

“My family never left, we endured because we were stubborn. I left for Gristol a few years ago, and I’m pretty sure it was the biggest mistake I’ve made.” Niall propped his head up on his hand. “Between the racism and abuse at work I debated going back. Then the plague happened. Not that it would be much better back home. Like I was saying, the rich back home blamed us poor folk for losing the war. As if the farmers had some control over the outcome of their foolish sea battles.” 

Alice chimed in, “It sure as shit wasn’t our fault. My mum used to tell me stories from before the war and after. Mostly people blamed you lot in Gristol, then blame shifted to the poor and to the famers.” She huffed, “Because it makes sense to blame the ones who feed ya’ right?” Everyone laughed at that. “Anyways I guess Niall is right, it’s the same everywhere.” 

Alexander looked at Corvo somewhat expectantly. “Maybe things could change now, eh Corvo?”

Corvo looked at him with a questioning eyebrow raised before he understood. “I’m just a bodyguard,” he said. “I can’t…” he trailed off because that wasn’t true. He wasn’t just a bodyguard he was technically a Lord and he technically had a seat in Court. There had been many times in the past where he added his voice to the conversation and debates. Mostly with Jessamine’s pre-approval, but now with the seats shaken and the corruption being rooted out… Corvo realized he could establish himself as more than just a bodyguard. But was that the right move? He wasn’t sure.

“I’ll try,” Corvo settled on.

“If you make it out of here,” Niall said. 

“That reminds me,” Corvo said and asked, “What’s up with you guys? None of you look like you’re dying, why are you still here?” 

Alexander just looked at the others who all turned away. “It’s always me who has to break the bad news. As I’m sure you’re well aware, people don’t just walk out of quarantine. They’ll find some reason to keep you here forever.” Corvo frowned and he could feel his feathers rise. “Until that scientist friend of yours figures out a cure we’re all trapped.” 

\---

“You’re going to sign me out of here right?” Corvo asked Sokolov. 

“If you’re clean you’ll leave,” he said. “Now strip.” 

Corvo rolled his eyes and tugged his shirt off. He kept his wings clamped against his back, he was still uneasy around Sokolov. The older man had already seen his wings but it wasn’t something he was used to showing people. “Why do I have to take my shirt off? You’re just drawing blood right?” 

“Yes, but I also want to inspect a few things before Piero arrives, he will undoubtedly make a scene.” 

“Did you tell him?”

“Of course I told him. Doesn’t believe me, he thinks I’m making it all up. Bet him forty coin that I wasn’t.”

Corvo sat down on the steel examination table, its cold seeped through his pants. “That’s rather cruel,” he commented. “You know you’ll win.” 

“No what’s cruel is that I let him up the bet.” 

“To what?” 

“Winner gets their name on the cure,” Sokolov said with a gruff laugh. 

“That is cruel.” 

Sokolov shrugged and produced a few medical devices. “If one wants to be remembered in history then one should take care not to erase themselves from it.” 

He wanted to agree but didn’t say anything. Instead he asked, “What exactly are you going to examine?” He could feel his feathers rise nervously. “I’m not too fond of being poked and prodded, nor treated like an experiment.” 

“Relax, Corvo,” Sokolov said but his tone didn’t do much to make his feathers lay flat. “We won’t be cutting you open and I’ll make sure Piero’s hands keep to themselves. I just want to check some of your vitals, see if you are markedly different from an average human.” 

“Why,” Corvo hesitated in finishing the question. “Why… wouldn’t I be?” 

“You have wings boy, that is bound to say something. More blood in the veins, a different resting heart rate, perhaps a larger appetite.” He looked at Corvo critically and said, “A different build perhaps? More muscles, different muscles. How long have you have them?” 

“Seventeen days,” Corvo replied. 

“So still relatively new…” He placed a stethoscope against Corvo’s chest and listened for a few moments. Then he turned away to write something down before placing the device in a different location around his chest. “Breathe in,” he instructed, “and hold it.” Corvo followed his direction and inhaled, holding his breath until he was told to exhale. “Again, but don’t hold this time.” Sokolov listened to the air move through Corvo’s chest and went around to his back. “Bend forward,” he instructed and Corvo complied. With a gentle hand he grabbed one of the wings and pulled it open. He moved it away and placed the disc of the stethoscope under a layer of feathers, he couldn’t get it to lay flat against the skin due to shaft of the feathers, the quill, being too close to each other. He told Corvo to keep breathing normally. 

“Well?” Corvo asked when Sokolov stepped away. “Anything?” 

“You sound… normal for the most part. Your heart rate is a bit high and there’s a lot more noise pollution when trying to hear from the back. My guess is that all the new veins and arteries are the cause of that. Let me know if you start experiencing any shortness of breath or problems breathing, along with any dizziness or if you feel faint.” 

He nodded. This was something he hadn’t thought about before. Wings were wings he figured. 

“I’m worried they might start to act parasitic on you.” Sokolov admitted. 

“How do you mean?” 

“Well, if your heart and lungs don’t change yet the wings grow bigger your heart will have to work extra hard to pump blood through the body. And your lungs might not take in enough oxygen to supply the new limbs. In essence, they might strangle you without touching your throat.” 

Corvo pulled one of his wings under his arm and stroked the feathers down with a free hand. They were small now, but he was certain they would grow bigger over time. “Could you… are they amputatable?” 

Sokolov furrowed his brow. “I’m not sure Corvo, not without having seen a case like yours before. If we must, I will try. But I am worried their placement is too close to your heart. Major veins and arteries have no doubt grown in to feed the new tissues. They’ll have to be cut and I don’t know if the bleeding could be stopped in time.”

“I understand.” His eyes met Sokolov’s and they shared a worried glance. 

The air was thick with their darker thoughts but it didn’t stay that way for long. Near immediately it was interrupted by the laboratory door slamming open and a voice saying, “Alright Sokolov you owe me forty coins and all the credit for the- by the Void.” Piero had enough sense to shut the door quickly behind him before quickly crossing the room. “Corvo… I don’t believe it. It’s not a joke?” 

Corvo shook his head and like he did with Sokolov turned so the other man could get a better look. He moved them, rolling his shoulders and stretching them out wide. “It’s definitely not a joke Piero.” It was odd feeling someone else's hands and fingers slide down his wings and pull at his feathers. Piero grasped one of the smaller ones and pulled, eliciting a quick grunt of pain from Corvo. “Hey, look but don’t pull.” 

Piero examined the feather in his hands, the tip of the quill had fresh blood around it. “Incredible. And this is because of the Mark?” Corvo nodded and began to unwrap his hand. “No need, I saw it enough at the Hound Pits.” He ran his hand down Corvo’s wing once more, this time he didn’t pluck a feather he just marveled. “To think of the experiments we could run on y-” 

In an instant Corvo had blinked away from the table and reappeared halfway across the room with his blade drawn. “No experiments. I’m not a labrat.” 

At the sight of the sword he had crafted for Corvo, Piero backed off. “Of course, I was only joking. I would never-” 

“Good.” Corvo forced himself to calm down, there was no need to panic. He should have expected a comment like this from a man who once proposed to put people in a pressurized water tank to see if they started producing oil like whales. Both he and Sokolov didn’t seem to shy away from human test subjects, a practice that would no doubt land them in hot water eventually. He folded the blade against his hand and returned it to his belt. However he didn’t apologize for drawing it on them to begin with. 

Sokolov glared at Piero then said to Corvo, “Would you still permit me to keep tabs on your health? What we discussed before is still a valid concern.” 

Hesitantly Corvo nodded. “I’ll report to you if I notice any sudden changes.” Corvo looked at Piero and knew that the fire hadn’t calmed from his eyes, his mark was still burning on his hand, a stinging reminder of his own fear. “No more jokes. If I wanted to be dissected I would have contacted the Abbey, not you two.” 

“And why did you contact us, Corvo?” Piero asked. He had already brushed off the threat on his life. It wasn’t the first time a blade had been drawn on him and it probably wouldn’t be the last.

“I was going to tell you both eventually, it’s just that-” 

Sokolove interrupted him,“Corvo had a little run in with some weepers, the guards he was with did not seem to find him clean enough to return to the tower.” 

“Ah, and he needed a doctor he could trust.” He looked at Corvo with a flash of sympathy. “I can see why that would be of utmost importance to you. But why involve me? Surely the more people who lay eyes on those wings the more dangerous it becomes for you. Sokolov’s mind should be enough, though I appreciate the flattery.”

“You make things,” Corvo said simply, “you make quality things.” He took out the sword once more, unfolding and folding the blade in quick succession, this time with an admiring eye and not a murderous one. “You’ve supplied me with more gear and gadgets than I ever had from the Crown’s own armory.” 

“You need me to make you something?” He guessed, it wasn’t a hard one. “And I’m supposing it’s not a weapon?” 

Corvo shook his head. “Not a weapon.” He allowed himself to get close to Piero again and folded his wings against his back while talking. “I need you to make me a harness or something to strap these Void-damned things down. I’ve been using a simple leather belt but I’m afraid that won’t be enough.” 

“Hmm I see. Yes I suppose I could fashion something up, it would take time away from the cure development but I could spare a few hours here and there.” 

“Is that ok?” Corvo asked. “My comfort isn’t worth a delay in the cure.” 

Sokolov snorted. “Piero has time. He’s not doing the majority of the heavy mental lifting.” 

Piero’s head snapped up and he glared at Sokolov from behind Corvo. “Doing more than you,” he said, “all you do is sit around the lab drinking brandy and staring at test tubes. Do you think they’ll speak to you or something? Are you waiting for the stars to come down and whisper sweet nothings in your ear?” 

“Enough,” Corvo said irritably. “I don’t want to listen your bickering. Can you do it?” 

“Of course I can. I’ve made far more complex things than a harness. Sokolov do you have a measuring tape?” Then he grabbed his notebook and started jotting down measurements. 

“Corvo,” Sokolov said, “I’m going to need to borrow your arm for a few moments.” He turned around with a needle and vial. “As I said yesterday, your blood will need to be drawn every three days for testing. I’ll be testing it myself of course.” He felt Corvo flinch when the placed the needle on his skin. “Scared of needles eh Corvo?” 

“No,” he said quickly. “Just hurry up.” Corvo watched the vial fill up with red blood, his blood. At least it wasn’t purple or something outrageous. He half thought Sokolov was disappointed at that.

“Corvo, wings up.” He heard Piero say and he opened and lifted them up without any pause. The measuring tape was pulled around in his chest in several places as well as his waist. “Ok you can put them down.” Then he measured his shoulders, and several parts from his shoulders and neck down to his waist. “I’m going to need to get a feel for how they fold naturally along your back.” Corvo demonstrated by opening and closing them several times while Piero watched. Then he felt a hand on them and froze. “No, keep going, don’t mind me.” It felt awkward but he did it. Piero’s hand followed the movements then he asked, “Can you fold them so they sit naturally? Don’t try to press them down like you’re hiding them.” He felt the measuring tape wrap around him, he lifted his arms to help Piero. “Ok, now fold them down as hard as you can.” Corvo clamped them down, like he would when he was outside. Once more the measuring tape looped around him. “Now I’m going to try pressing them down, if it hurts tell me.” Corvo winced as his wings were forced tight against his back. More measurements were taken and the pressure released. Piero took his time measuring each part of his wing too, from shoulder to elbow to tip. “I think I have what I need,” he said and stepped away. “You’re expecting them to grow, correct?” 

“Yeah, most likely. I’m not sure, they didn’t come with instructions.” 

“Of course not,” Sokolov said. “It’s the Void, it never explains anything.” 

“The Void doesn’t, but maybe the Outsider will,” Corvo grumbled. 

“The Outsider?” Piero’s interest spiked again. “Have you spoken with him? Do you speak with him? Or does he just whisper in your dreams?” 

“I… He comes to me, yes, and we speak.” 

“Corvo said he hasn’t heard from him in weeks,” Sokolov added and Corvo didn’t correct him. They didn’t need to know when he spoke with the god of the Void. “We might be on our own here in figuring out and dealing with Corvo’s erm, condition.” 

Corvo flinched a bit at his wings being referred to as a “condition” but he couldn’t think of what else would be more appropriate. “He’s not going to catch plague is he?” Piero asked. 

“I doubt it,” Sokolov replied. “Even though he’s still rather scrawny from his ordeal at Coldridge.” he poked Corvo’s side causing the other man to swat his hand away. “He should be healthy enough to avoid it, if he didn’t catch anything from the weeper to begin with.”

Corvo gestured at the vial of blood now sitting on the desk. “I guess we’ll know after you analyze that.” 

“Indeed we will.” Sokolov moved around the table and came back with a bottle of elixir. “Speaking of the plague and avoiding it, drink this.” 

The glass bottle was pressed into Corvo’s hand and he grimaced. The elixirs never tasted good but he would drink them when necessary. Piero’s wasn’t as foul but as he got better at managing his Void powers he found less use for it. He didn’t consider himself a novice with Void magic anymore and rarely did he over exert himself to the point of splitting headaches. Corvo twisted the cap off and brought the glass to his lips. The elixir slid down his throat and triggered only a slight gag. “Void that’s awful.” 

Sokolov chuckled and took the emptied vial from Corvo. “The taste is wicked, yes, but that’s because it’s much more powerful than anything on the market right now.” 

“It’s how Sokolov and I have been able to withstand prolonged exposure to the infected,” Piero added. “If it were easier to produce we would push it to mass market. It could even stand in as a substitute for a cure, but it won’t do any good to those already infected.” 

“Trust us, we’ve tried.” 

Piero continued, “And the number of infected is far too great to give up on a cure now. If Dunwall has any chance of rebuilding and recovering she will need more than a mere twenty five percent of her former population.” 

“Is the death toll really that high?” Corvo asked. He hadn’t been given any solid numbers, he just knew it was a lot. If the mound of bodies at Rudshore was anything to go by he would have thought the whole city was gone.

“Oh Corvo,” Sokolov said, and for the first time Corvo noticed how truely tired he looked. “Twenty five is a high estimate.” 

He shuddered. Of course there was a contingency plan in place for when the city truly fell. There were places in the far reaches of Gristol, cottages, cabins, places far from densely populated areas where Emily would be taken to while they await ship transport to Serkonos. Fleeing Dunwall would most likely be read as an abandonment of duties and the other Isles might take it as a relinquishing of power. Even if she moved the capital of the Empire to Karnaca many would call for her to step down. Losing an entire island nation to death is the sort of black mark you don’t scrub free from your record. Even if the problem was an inherited one, it was now hers to deal with or suffer the consequences. 

Piero and Sokolov needed to get to their work for the day so Corvo put on his leather strap and slid his shirt back on before pulling the coat over his wings and showing himself out. He would stop in the next day for another elixir but that was it. He was told he shouldn’t hang around inside too much, it might make people both suspicious and envious of him, both things he was told avoid. 

Corvo still wasn’t sure what to do with his time, he didn’t want to bother the new friends he had made, after all he spent most of the morning hours with them. Instead he wandered over to a supply tent, refilled his water and grabbed his daily allowance of scrap wood. Then he lugged it up to his tent on the roof. 

His mark burned from the lack of use, he could see its glow seeping through the bandages but just barely. The Void was taunting him, almost daring him to use his powers, it did this frequently when he was out on patrol. His hand would burn and his skin would crawl, it was all he could do to just ignore it. Up on the roof he was afforded a bit of privacy. He slipped his dark vision on while he paced. It didn’t help his vision at all, if anything it made it harder to see, but the slow magic drain would help calm the howling Void inside him. 

When the itch to use more magic became too intense Corvo flopped down on his back, ignoring the way his wings protested and blinked around the rooftop. Blinking while in any other position than standing was weird at first, but he had done it around the palace and it worked in a pinch to burn off some steam. 

Eventually the whistle for dinner was blown and Corvo blended into the crowd below for his serving of watered down soup and hard bread. He met back up with the others and fell into easy conversation. Afterwards he bid them all a good night and retreated up to his tent. He was strangely exhausted after not doing much for the whole day. He blamed it on the lack of decent sleep he had had the recent nights. After sitting up by his fire for a while he let his weary eyes rest and curled up on the bedroll, his wings and coat doubling once more for the blanket he lacked.

\--Day 4--

Corvo was back at his tent. Dinner was over and his newfound friends had retreated to their tents to rest for the day. Both Sasha and Niall had begun to cough harshly over the past few days. Nobody said anything but worry was in the air. Corvo kept his mask on. His blood had come back clean from the initial testing, but he had another vial drawn and sent in. He was free from infection now, but the sometimes it was delayed by as long as a week. The Outsider had only said that he would not die from the plague, he said nothing about Corvo catching it. 

He paced anxiously, his stomach protesting the lack of good food. _How was anyone supposed to get better without proper food?_ But Corvo knew that these camps weren’t designed to get people healthy, but rather to keep them away from the remaining healthy population. After Coldridge he was weak, the strength of the Mark, of the Void, was the only thing that kept him going in those early days. At the thought the mark on his hand burned to life, he knew it would fill him with energy if he needed it, but he didn’t want to push his body to such lengths. 

Corvo looked over at his bedroll and made the decision to leave the camp tonight in search of supplies. He wanted a blanket to stave off the cold nights and some extra food to keep his strength up. When this was all over he would have to go right back to standing by Emily’s side and protecting her. There was a city to be rebuilt and he couldn’t let himself be taken away for too long. 

The sun was swiftly dipping below the horizon and Corvo knew his time to act would be soon. He walked on the top of the wall around the roof. His eyes were trained on the guards and the passing inhabitants of the quarantine zone. Watching for patterns and shift changes of guards was something that Corvo was intimately familiar with. Like most guards of Dunwall they weren’t fond of looking up so none of them were even aware they were being watched. Curiously Corvo noticed that Alexander was watching him, he even gave him a polite wave. Corvo gave him the briefest of waves in return and continued his walking. 

Every time he passed by the backside of the building he would project his power ever so slightly. Each time he confirmed that he could reach the next closest roof without any problems. That was good, blink was silent and his footfalls near it, nobody would hear him. When it was finally dark Corvo lit a fire he wouldn’t be sitting by. Then he stepped behind his tent, his body disappearing out of the line of sight anyone on the ground would have, then he disappeared completely from that space in time to appear low on an adjacent roof. 

The freedom he felt was near instantaneous. He crept low on the rooftops, keeping his weight centered and off of his heels. His boots only slid slightly on the tile. There weren’t as many guards as he would have thought watching the quarantine zone. Perhaps breakouts weren’t as much of a concern as he had thought? Corvo didn’t jump from rooftop to rooftop solely to avoid making any noise or drawing any eyes to him. Instead he used blink and moved swiftly across the town like the wind. His mark had been screaming at him for days to use the Void’s power. The Void itself seemed to hum in his bones. Now he was free to race across the city. 

He paused for a breather on the roof of a long abandoned building. Corvo tried his best not to look in the direction of the tower for he knew his heart was weak and he might find himself heading towards it. Once again he was reminded how different he was from the average human. In mere seconds he had escaped a quarantine that for many would be their death sentence, and no one was any wiser. If he wanted to he could disappear and never come back. Maybe it spoke volumes of his character that was he going to go back. Corvo could disappear into the wind, but he wouldn’t. There were people and responsibilities that tied him down, and he didn’t find himself minding that. 

Corvo dropped onto the balcony of a long abandoned apartment complex. The ground floor entryways were all boarded up and after slipping on dark vision he could see that nothing but a few rats were present on the floor Corvo was on. He extended his vision past his feet and into the floor below him, also revealing nothing of note. Confident that he was alone he began rooting through the old inhabitant’s things. Guilt still flooded through him, he knew that the chances of the owner of this particular apartment being both alive and willing to move back were slim. But he also realized that many people who had managed to flee and survive would be coming back to ransanked shells of their former homes. 

Perhaps if the budget allowed it, Corvo would suggest a reimbursement package to any family willing to move back to their old place. Money, or furniture to make these empty rooms homes again. The amount of work was nearly staggering and he wasn’t sure if anyone truly understood how much there was to do. Sure some of the members of Court understood that the infrastructure would need to be rebuilt, the factories restoried, and the shipyards put back in order, but there was so much to do for the average citizen. Graffiti lined the walls of buildings both inside and out, there were still bodies left to be found and removed, and countless personal items were lost or traded away in the black market. 

And yet, here Corvo was, elbow deep in someone else’s property trying to find anything he could use to survive. He was contributing to the very problem he sought to solve. He sighed and tried to push the thought out of his mind. There were other things to concern himself with. 

After digging through two apartments, one of which required a quick wind blast to dislodge a door, he finally found some potted meat. He hardly paused while scarfing it down and tossing the can on the counter. He also dug out some jellied eels, preserved whale meat, pickled hagfish, and several cans of peaches. There was an old kitchen towel that Corvo tied into a makeshift bag and started placing the cans inside so he could carry it all easier. He decided that it would be easier to stockpile as much canned food as he could up on the roof so he wouldn’t have to make multiple trips outside the camp. If anyone noticed that he slipped out there could be actual punishment. Corvo wasn’t too interested in going back to Coldridge anytime ever. 

He blinked across the road to another balcony and entered the apartment. This one had the stench of death clinging to it so he quickly left and tried another. Once more there wasn’t a living thing inside. Corvo stepped carefully over broken glass from a display cabinet that had been bashed in. Looters had clearly come before him and he wasn’t sure if there would be anything left to salvage. But there were whale oil lanterns still lit so he figured it was at least worth a look around. 

The kitchen pantry held a few more canned goods, some beans, a few cans of potatoes and more tinned meat. After adding them to his collection he figured that that would be enough for now. He knew he would make at least one more trip outside of the camp, if only because he would need to spend some Void magic. 

Corvo searched the rest of the apartment, now he was looking for a blanket that wasn’t covered in mold, blood, or wrapped around a dead body. The apartment he was in didn’t have anything of use. All the bedding was stripped and the mattress overturned. So he collected up his bag of food and blinked to another open window. After setting foot inside he heard the signature moan of a weeper and blinked right back out. He searched a few more apartments but everything he pulled up wasn’t something he’d want to put over his body. So he swung his bag over his shoulder and decided to give up for the night. He found food, that would have to be success enough.

Once on the rooftops again Corvo caught something out of the corner of his eye. It was like a shadow that turned and disappeared as soon as he focused on it. He waited a few moments, eyes scanning the rooftops and then he saw it again. A shadow dissolved into the form of a person that landed then vanished again. “Whalers,” Corvo said under his breath. He dropped the bag of food down on the roof and tucked it away so he could find it again. Then he gave chase.

Even though he wasn’t technically working as the Lord Protector, he felt it his duty to pursue the Whalers, he had to know what they were up to. Corvo pulled himself through the air with blink and hauled his body over short walls and leapt the shorter distances to conserve energy and magic. The Whalers in front of him hadn’t caught on to his chase, there were two of them, both too far away for him to get any detailed visuals on. Even though Corvo was going as fast as he could the Whalers seemed to be slipping further and further ahead. It was almost like their ability to transverse space and time was somehow more powerful than Corvo’s. 

He decided to pour on the speed and sprint faster. They had crossed into a part of Dunwall where the buildings were even more tightly packed than before and the rooftops almost seemed to bleed into one another. For a brief moment Corvo thought about the possible fire danger this section proposed, but he shook his head to clear his thoughts. He couldn’t waste time on city planning. The tightly knit buildings allowed him to blink even further than before and even though his lungs were burning and his blood felt like it was ablaze in his veins he pushed himself harder. 

Corvo touched down on a particularly steep rooftop and felt his boot slip out from under him. He crashed to the ground in a most ungraceful manner and began to slide down the rooftop. Before he fell he managed to hook his hand around a gutter which pulled away from the building but didn’t drop. His wings pulled against the leather strap holding them down, instinctively they wanted to extend, provide balance or help propel him back up onto the roof. Ignoring them he chose to blink instead and teleported to a nearby terrace to catch his breath. He looked around for the Whalers and was disappointed when he couldn’t spot them. He blinked to the top of a tall chimney and scanned the rooftops. 

The wind blew his sweaty hair away from his hot forehead and he took a moment to compose himself. He had lost the Whalers and it only took a few seconds. Mentally kicking himself Corvo turned to head back. He could spend the whole night canvassing the area and he knew he’d never find a trace of them. 

Corvo heard something that wasn’t the wind, it was faint, the sound of a bolt sliding into place. He turned just in time as a crossbow bolt flew by his head. Then he heard a muffled voice swear. Corvo turned in the direction the bolt came from and saw a Whaler standing just beside a chimney. In an instant Corvo had blinked to where the Whaler was, blade unfolded and ready to strike. The Whaler hardly had time to react but they managed to pull a blade of their own out and block Corvo’s attack.

Corvo pushed the Whaler backwards towards the chimney they had used as cover. The Whaler’s back hit the brick and they were unable to move away from Corvo’s blade. “Damn it Petro that’s Corvo Attano you fool!” Another voice said just to Corvo’s right. Corvo chanced a look and saw a Whaler in a blue coat draw a blade to attack. 

The one in front of him pushed back to try to dislodge Corvo but it didn’t quite work. The Whalers were fearsome assassins, talented and deadly, but Corvo was also a highly trained killer. “T-Thomas help!” The Whaler called out, his voice sounded young even through the distortion of the mask. 

Suddenly Corvo was knocked to the side in a tackle that threw him to the floor. He rolled quickly and swiped out with his sword but the blade bit into nothing as the Whaler dissipated into the air. He reappeared close to the other Whaler in a defensive stance. Corvo got to his feet but didn’t charge. Instead he asked, “So the Whalers are back?” 

“Back?” Petro said, “We never left.” For that he was elbowed swiftly by the one called Thomas. 

“We have no business with you, Corvo Attano.”

“I told your leader to vacate the city weeks ago!” Corvo said, his anger building. “I see my mercy was misplaced. I should have killed him on the spot.” 

At his words Petro started to charge but Thomas grabbed him by the shoulder belt. “How do you know he didn’t leave?” Thomas said, Corvo just hear the slightest accusatory tone in his voice. “You told _Daud_ to leave, not us. Maybe you should have made your demands a little more specific if you wanted us all out of the picture.” 

“If Daud is gone then how do you still have access to magic?” 

This made Thomas snort, his laughter echoing out of the mask in choked bursts. “You know nothing of how our Arcane Bond works. You have no idea if it’s permanent, if it wears off, is stopped only by Daud’s death, or if someone else in our ranks is Marked.” Thomas took a step forward in challenge. “And you won’t learn anything from us.” 

“We’ll see about that,” Corvo said taking a step forward. He was fairly confident he could take down the two Whalers. The one in grey seemed to be less skilled than Thomas. Corvo hadn’t gotten a good chance to observe the Whalers when he snuck through their base weeks ago but the colored uniforms have to mean something. 

Thomas pushed Petro back and focused all his attention on Corvo. He transversed forward to try to knock Corvo back but Corvo simply blinked back and started to circle him. Corvo lunged forward and Thomas blocked the blade and took a step back, yielding to the force that the other had. He knew from the first moment they crossed blades that Corvo was stronger than he was. It would be best not to try to overpower him and let him wear himself out.

Corvo pushed Thomas back with each blow and the assassin didn’t try to counter or push back, he simple took each hit, some slamming his sword nearly to the ground. Corvo thought he saw an opening when he knocked Thomas’ sword down and exposed his chest and arm to an attack. But Thomas was clever and swift and before Corvo could lunge in he pulled a knife from a shoulder sheath and swiped outward, nearly slicing Corvo’s throat. Corvo reeled back in surprise his heart pounding in his ears. 

Thomas didn’t relent, he vanished and traversed to Corvo’s side. Corvo had anticipated an attack from behind and swung around in the wrong direction. He wasn’t able to get his blade raised quick enough to avoid Thomas' blow and he felt the Whaler’s sword bite into his arm, punishment for his sloppy guesswork. He retaliated by blinking above Thomas who stumbled when his sword cut through air instead of more flesh. But Thomas wouldn’t let himself be taken by surprise and transversed as soon as he saw Corvo’s mark glow. 

Corvo landed hard where Thomas was moments ago and called upon the Void to grant him a blast of wind which he used to push outwards from all directions. This caught the Whaler unprepared and he lost his footing and hit the ground hard. Corvo could hear the breath get knocked from his lungs. While he was dazed Corvo moved in.

“Thomas!” He could hear Petro shout from the top of the chimney where he was perched. The moonlight glinted against the glass eye covers of the mask, it reminded Corvo of a cat’s reflective eye. A canister was tossed down and before Corvo could react a blinding light filled his eyes followed but a gas that sprayed out and burned Corvo’s lungs and stung his eyes. Involuntarily he coughed which only drew more of the substance in. He staggered back and struggled to blink away. This was a substance he hadn’t encountered before, and the light blue hazy glow left behind reminded him of spilt whale oil. 

While Corvo was busy coughing Thomas had gotten to his feet and ran at Corvo once more, determined to put an end to a potentially life threatening problem, not just to himself but for the whole crew back at base. He emerged from the cloud of gas and this time he caught the glow of his mark and blinked past the oncoming wind blast. While it didn’t hit Thomas it did blow the rest of the gas away and cleared the air. Thomas landed lightly on his feet behind Corvo and moved to strike but Corvo vanished as well. 

There was a drag on Corvo’s mind, he could feel it. While working with the Loyalists he used his powers, but never this extensively in combat for this long. His fight with Daud was mostly done blade to blade and normal guards he was able to incapacitate without any fancy tricks. This was the first time he found himself in a duel that relied heavily on magic. It clearly wasn’t the Whaler’s first time as he caught up with Corvo and didn’t seem the least bit winded. Thomas raised his sword and slipped the knife back into its sheath. Corvo wasn’t sure how much longer he could manage if had to continue to use magic so heavily.

Thomas transversed again, but this time his strategy was more to confuse Corvo than actually strike. He would transerve around the Royal Protector, sometimes slashing out with his blade, other times he would fake a blow. Then without warning he dove in for real and caught Corvo off guard. His sword smashed into Corvo’s and the impact shook his arm up to his shoulder. He took a step forward and found that he was able to push Corvo back. That was before Corvo got his feet under him and started to fight back. He broke free of their lock and swiped out in swift vertical slashes. Thomas was forced to take a few steps back and he began to pivot and move the battle more in a circle. 

Unfortunately for Thomas, Corvo’s footwork was second to none. For each step that the assassin took Corvo was able to match it easily without losing any focus on the swords they were swinging. The assassin knew he was in trouble, while exhaustion was clearly showing on his opponents face, he was simply being outperformed in his swordsmanship. Daud had taught them all to go in quickly for the kill, the longer you stay engaged in combat the more likely you were to die. They were trained in stealth, in quick kills and becoming shadows, not in extended sword duels. 

Through the blossoming headache Corvo could see that he was wining. Thomas’ arm was slowing and his movements become more predictable. The assassin started to resort to using his form of blink once more in an attempt to gain the upperhand. Corvo realized that Thomas could probably see through his exhaustion and understood that Corvo’s command of magic in combat was less than his. Corvo caught Thomas mid blink with the blunt end of his sword. The metal connected at the chest and halted his transversal just enough for Corvo to move in and strike him hard in the throat with his arm. 

Thomas fell to the ground and gasped for air. His sword clattered out of his grip and slid out of reach. Corvo placed a boot over the assassin’s shoulder, pinning him to the floor. “Where’s your base?” He asked between heavy breathes. They had pushed each other both to near exhaustion. 

The assassin looked up at Corvo, his face hidden behind the whaler mask strapped to his face. His breath coming out in steady puffs. “I’m not telling you that.” 

“Where’s Daud?” 

Thomas laughed. “Another mystery. Isn’t this fascinating?” 

Corvo pushed down his boot against the Whaler. He knew he didn’t have the most advantageous position over him and Corvo was certain that the assassin could blink away still. “Answers assassin, start talking or your life will be over.” 

There was a pause, where the night air was deathly silent. “I don’t think that’s true,” Thomas said finally. “You’re not a killer, the whole time you terrorized the nobles, you did it without spilling a drop of blood.” 

“You’re right,” Corvo said, “I’m not a killer like _you_. But just because I didn’t then, doesn’t mean I’ve never, and I won’t pick it back up.” He knelt down, putting yet more weight on the foot that was on Thomas, he could feel the man wheeze under him. “Do you want to test your theory?” Corvo asked and placed the blade close to Thomas’ throat. “Where’s your base?” 

Thomas swallowed, the movement caught Corvo’s eye. “Petro?” Thomas called out instead. The younger assassin answered, still on top of the chimney. “Petro you’re going to have to report this back alone,” he said. 

It took a few moments before Petro understood the full weight of Thomas’ words. “Thomas no! You can’t!” 

“Remember your training, our training,” he said. “Remember, we are Whalers, remember what that means.” 

Corvo looked between the one under his foot to the one up on the chimney. “What is he talking about?” 

“Thomas you _can’t_. We lost Billie, we lost,” his voice broke, “we can’t lose you too!” 

Corvo removed the blade from Thomas’ neck, he hadn’t actually planned on killing anyone tonight, the conversation was starting to get puzzling. 

The smaller assassin then yelled at Corvo, “I won’t let you!” Then suddenly Corvo found himself flung into the air and held stationary. Dread sunk deep into Corvo turning the blood in his veins to ice. This was the same power that kept him immobilized the moment Jessamine was ruthlessly murdered. Just like before he couldn’t move, he couldn’t seem to break free of whatever Void force was holding him in place. Petro transversed down to Thomas and lifted him up. “You didn’t right?” Thomas gave a short, curt, shake of his head. 

Thomas looked up at Corvo. “Another time then?” And they both vanished. 

Corvo was dropped suddenly to the ground where he landed hard on his back. Pain erupted from his wings and cried out before rolling over and curling into a ball. They were still tender and the fall sent waves of pain across his back. It took him several moments to clear his vision and sit up. All at once his exhaustion seemed to overwhelm him. A headache blossomed behind his eyes, caused from the amount of magic he used without a break or elixir. He could also feel blood drip down from his arm where he was cut. It soaked through the jacket sleeve and ran down to his hand. 

He undid the bandages around his marked hand and shrugged the coat off. The bandages were thin, but they were better than nothing, he applied them tightly around the gash in his arm. It didn’t look too deep, but it was enough that it was bleeding and would probably need a stitch or two to close properly and heal swiftly. It would just add to his growing list of scars. He was too careless in this fight, too overconfident. Sneaking through the Whaler’s base had meant that he wasn’t familiar with their fighting style, something that nearly cost him his life. As he staggered to his feet he realized that it was a lesson he wouldn’t be forgetting. 

Corvo picked up the coat and gently rolled his shoulders to try to relieve some of the soreness from his wings. He could already feel them start to cramp up. After putting everything back on he set off back towards the quarantine zone. He’d have to apologize to Sokolov about the jacket. Hopefully the old scientist would feel generous enough to give him a different one, or else he would have to come up with a creative excuse to explain away the blood and tear to the others. 

The way back was taken at a much slower pace. Each blink sent a wave of pain to his brain and twisted his gut in a nauseous way he hadn't felt since his first visit to the Void. Thomas had expended the same amount of magic, if not more, as Corvo had yet they were able to both blink away after the fight without consequence. He had to wonder if that was because they used Void magic more frequently than he did. 

Eventually he uncovered his stashed food and made the last blink back to his rooftop camp. He dumped the bag down by the tent and restarted the fire. He was absolutely exhausted and he knew that he would be even more sore the next day. With no elixir of either kind he would have to deal with the headache and his injuries on his own for the night. Oddly the situation reminded him of one night that he didn’t make it home in Karnaca. He had spent the night curled up on a rooftop away from prying eyes. 

_At least Karnaca had warm nights, even in the middle of winter._ Corvo grumbled and retreated to his tent. The fire helped stave off the cold and allowed Corvo to relax enough to sleep. The last thought he had before drifting off was that the whole encounter with the Whaler’s yielded no additional information. That bothered him the most, it felt like another mission failure. Only this time he had only himself to report to. 

The Whalers were back, and Corvo still didn’t know what that meant. Were they the threat the Outsider warned of? If they were it didn’t make sense, he pulled a wing up around his arm and tucked his face into the soft feathers. _If the Whalers were the threat, then how would these help him?_ He resolved to give it more thought in the morning and coming days. For now, he needed to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! An update!
> 
> This chapter was supposed to have more scenes in it, but I purposefully cut it off at 27 pages. I have real issues with pacing out some chapters as some scenes end up taking far longer than I intended. I'm assuming the second part of this section will also be about 30 pages. Then Corvo will be out of quarantine. I want to say I didn't see this coming, but you'd be amazed at how much content I can drag out of one location. One of my finished long form fics was 260 pages of fic in one abandoned asylum. 
> 
> Anyways, I really hope you guys enjoy the new minor characters. They're going to be Corvo's conversation partners for the remainder of this section. I tried to get some representation from each Isle, with Alexander and Nathan being from Gristol, Niall and Alice from Morley, Mateo hails from Serkonos and Sasha from Tyvia. I had a lot of fun writing their dialogue and I think that shows.  
> Speaking of dialogue, I thiiiiink Sokolov turned out a tad better this time around. Piero felt ok to me, but he's always been odd. I still need to fix up some stuff from last chapter, I'll be doing that in the next few days. A reader pointed out some awkward morality issues with the guards in the last chapter which I completely agree with, so that will be getting a mild edit. I might tweak Sokolov too while I'm in there editing. Not enough to warrant a full re-read, don't worry.  
> Hey look! Whalers! It's Thomas! I have a soft spot for Thomas. What could this mean? Will they come into play later? Where's Daud? Is he in Dunwall still or did he fuck off to lands unknown? Who knows? (me. I know.) I liked writing their little altercation, because this fic gets pretty domestic around the middle and there's not really any opportunities to do combat.  
> Considering this chapter is broken into two, I'm not going to judge myself too harshly on the pacing near the end, it sorta fizzles but it's ok cuz it's leading directly into the next day. However I'll admit right now that I only did first pass edits on the fight scene so I might have to clean up some typos later. I just wanted to post right when I finished because I'm a sucker for feedback and was really excited to get this update out.  
> Hope you all liked it, we're moving on slowly but surely through this story.


	4. Perspective (Part 2)

\--Day Five--

Waking up was brutal. In the safe embrace of sleep he could ignore the events that transpired during the night. But his body was quick to remind him as soon as he crossed over from the dreaming world to the waking one. Corvo groaned loudly and curled in on himself. One of his wings he used to block out the light of the rising sun while he held his right arm close to his chest. The cut throbbed with pain in time with his heartbeat. He was fairly certain it wasn’t closed and the thin bandages were damp with lazily leaking blood. 

He forced himself to sit up, the motion causing a wave of nausea to flood through him. His mark prickled with energy but it only served to make him feel more ill. His mind and body still hadn’t recovered from his heavy use of Void magic a few hours ago. He could feel his heart beat behind his eyes and his head pounded. Even the dull light of morning was too much, his eyes were over sensitive to it. He scooted forward out from under his tent, each muscle involved in the movement seemed to protest. His fire was dead and there was no more wood to start it up once more. The sun would have to do to warm his bones.

Corvo heard the whistle blow for breakfast and he ignored it. There was no way he could stand so he definitely wasn’t going to attempt climbing down from the roof. Even if he could stumble in and hold a plate steady enough to not dump everything he doubted he could hold a conversation with his friends. They would notice his condition and ask questions, questions he couldn’t answer truthfully and didn’t want to create lies for either. So instead he flopped back down on his side and tried to wait for the throbbing to subside a bit more in his skull. An elixir would do him wonders, he knew that, but the only way to get to one would be to meet Sokolov down in his lab. And at the moment it seemed like that small building across the camp was miles away. 

After a while, Corvo wasn’t sure how long, he decided to try sitting up again. This time he wasn’t greeted with his stomach doing a flip so he figured he might be improving. He reached into the bag of food and pulled out a can of peaches. Corvo groped around for his folding blade and extended it so he could work the lid off of the peaches. He set his sword aside and reached into the can to pull out a piece of preserved fruit. It was sweet and if you had asked Corvo at that moment, he would have said it was the best thing he had ever eaten. He cleaned out the can and even drank the syrup. 

With some food in his stomach he felt a little better, enough to attempt standing. To his credit he didn’t fall back over, even when all his muscles seemed to protest the very idea of moving. He stretched his arms up and his wings down, it was daylight out so he feared someone could spot the strange appendages from below if they chanced a glance up. Someone like Alexander, who always seemed to have his eyes on Corvo. Though, maybe he was just imagining it. It was very possible that it only seemed like Alexander was following him because he was one of the very few faces he recognized in the camp. 

Corvo walked around the roof to try to loosen up his aching muscles. Without one of Piero’s elixirs his body had been left to recover from the strain of the Void on its own. Eventually he would be back to normal but it could take a few more hours. That was time he didn’t want to spend up on a roof suffering. He walked back to the tent and grabbed his jacket. Then he balanced on the ledge of the roof and looked out over the camp. It looked like very few people were out moving around. Some could still be at breakfast while others were in their tents. The sky did look like it was threatening rain. Corvo glanced back at his tent, he had doubts that it was waterproof. 

After a careful watch of the people he was convinced that nobody was looking up his way. Calling the Void to his hand sent sparks to his brain and fire up his arm. His body really didn’t want to be using magic right now. He locked his jaw and blocked it out, instead focusing on how far he could project his power. There was a street light not too far away that he was confident he could reach. In an instant the world seemed to slow around him as he pulled himself, agonizingly, through space and time. 

Corvo hit the pole and the world spun around him his eyes went fuzzy. He felt himself wobble but before he could fall he saw that one of the window’s of Sokolov’s laboratory was open. It was just enough for him to fall through so he called the Void once more and projected himself into the opening. His control was slipping and he released the power and felt himself move. He closed his eyes incase he didn't’ make it. Corvo’s body hit the ground hard and he groaned. He looked up and saw stars, but he also saw the ceiling of the laboratory so at least he made it. 

“Nice of you to drop in Corvo,” he heard a voice say from across the room. Corvo only groaned again in response. This clearly worried Sokolov as he could hear his approach. “You know I have a door right?” There was a pause. “Are you alright?” 

“Yes and no,” Corvo said. He didn’t trust himself to sit up without getting sick. “Piero’s remedy, do you have any?” 

“There should be one or two stashed around here. Do you require one?” 

“No, I’m just asking for fun,” Corvo tried to joke but the ground under him seemed to lurch and his stomach flipped. “Just get me one,” he said and closed his eyes in an attempt to stop the spinning. His mark burned painfully on his hand and sent fire up his arm. 

Sokolov could be heard rummaging around his lab before he finally returned and pressed a glass vial into Corvo’s hand. “I don’t know what the difference between his and mine is, but here you are.” 

“Thank you,” Corvo said and sat up only enough to drink without choking. Half of the vial was drained in a few famished gulps. He let his head rest against the floor once more and waited for the elixir to take effect. He could feel a cooling sensation spread through to all of his limbs and the pressure on his brain seemed to release near instantly. “Much better.” He waited a few more moments before sitting up and finishing off the vial. “Thank you,” he said to Sokolov. “I was in rough shape.” 

“And why was that Corvo?” His eyes drifted down to the mark on Corvo’s hand. It was still shining brilliantly, it almost looked like polished metal. “Is it supposed to do that?” 

“Yeah,” Corvo said and shook his left hand out. “It’ll settle in a few minutes. I’ve been reckless with my use of Void magic,” he said as casually as he would talk about the weather. “I went out last night,” he admitted. 

“Past the quarantine walls?” Sokolov watched Corvo nod. “You do understand the concept of quarantine right?” 

Corvo rolled his eyes and said, “I went hunting for supplies and to stretch my legs. The Void it, it _yearns_ to be used. When I ignore it there’s like a… buildup of magic that I have to release or I can’t focus. So I went out for a quick run across the rooftops.” 

“How exactly did you end up in this state then?”

“Whalers,” Corvo said as if that didn’t need anymore explanation. “I saw some running across the same rooftops I was and gave chase, got in a fight, it nearly ended badly for me.” Corvo raised his other arm to expose the ripped sleeve and the bloody bandage underneath. “Sorry about your coat,” he added. 

Sokolov stroked his beard. “Whalers… they’re that assassin group I’ve heard whispers of. Magic runs with them too, or so I’ve heard.” Corvo nodded in confirmation. “Did you kill them?” 

“No,” Corvo said. “They both slipped away. I spent all my energy in the fight and couldn’t follow. I hardly had the strength to get back. The Whalers are a dangerous group Sokolov, Dunwall isn’t safe until they’re removed.” 

Sokolov took a moment to process the information he was given. “Humans with supernatural abilities are most troubling indeed. I built technology for the Lord Regent, technology I’m not proud of, and technology that will most certainly be abused in the future, but in the end it might not be effective against the world’s most dangerous threats.” He looked over at Corvo, his mark still ablaze on his hand. “People like you.” 

Corvo held Sokolov’s gaze. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” He didn’t take Sokolov’s words as an insult, he had come to the same conclusion while working for the Loyalists. The things he could do because he had powers beyond a normal human were dangerous. “I guess the Abbey has a point,” he admitted reluctantly. 

“I’m just glad you’re on our side,” Sokolov said and walked back to the table he was previously working at. “Maybe you can help me test some new devices down the road?” 

“I would love to do anything other than that,” he replied with a shallow laugh. “But if you require my assistance, and if it would create a safer Empire I’d do it.” Corvo pushed to his feet, he felt much better than he had, his head didn’t pound and his legs didn't shake. The effects of last night were mostly gone, only a slight burning sensation was left in his hand. “Will you be alone for a while?” 

“Yes I should be, I sent my assistants to my other lab the day after I learned of your wings.” 

With that Corvo shrugged off the coat and walked over to a sink where he began to unwrap the soiled bandages around his arm. He scrubbed out the wound with water and as much soap as he dared to put on it before rinsing the whole thing. He kept his arm under the sink and asked, “Can I have my dose of your elixir now? Or should I wait?” 

“You just took Piero’s isn’t that enough?”

“Piero’s was for my mind, my relationship between myself and the Void, yours is for the body,” Corvo explained. “I have this nasty cut on my arm that I reopened just now, it might need stitches but an elixir could close it up without the need.” 

“Your relationship with the Void?” 

“Yeah,” Corvo pulled his arm away from the water and placed a rag over the wound. He held up his marked hand once more, it was shining brilliantly, still burning. “I can draw from the Void through the Outsider’s Mark. Think of it like a magic gate. But it takes energy to keep the gate open so the magic can flow through.” 

“And Piero’s Remedy replenishes that energy?” Sokolov glanced at the rag over Corvo’s bleeding arm and rummaged around for one of the new elixirs. “Most fascinating.” He found one and passed it over to Corvo who drank that one much like he did the other, in a few large gulps. Sokolov watched Corvo remove the rag and the cut start to knit itself back together. “Incredible…” Sokolov breathed. “I had heard that our elixirs had some restorative power but I’ve not seen it work like this before.” 

“I think it might be because I’m marked,” Corvo admitted. “I react to something in the elixir that others don’t. I’m not sure though, I haven’t been able to test it and your elixirs weren’t around before the plague times so I don’t have a point of reference since I became marked.” 

“Was that when the Outsider marked you? At the start of the plague?” 

Corvo shook his head. He finished the elixir and put the flask on the counter. “The Outsider didn’t pull me into the Void until after I had escaped Coldridge.” 

“Why wait?” Sokolov asked, though it was more to himself than to Corvo. “Those were six long months, surely it would have been more beneficial to give you those powers to escape?” 

Corvo shrugged. “Why does the Outsider do anything?” Corvo said back. “He told me he waited to make sure I had the will to live or fight. That I wouldn’t give up.” He walked across the room and sat down on a chair nearby Sokolov’s workbench. “I wouldn’t have complained about receiving the offer earlier though.” 

Sokolov could hear a trace amount of bitterness in the other man’s voice and didn’t press the topic any further. He had been a consultant to the palace for the health of the royal family before the plague had arrived. He had seen Corvo naked before, given him physicals before and he knew the number of scars he bore had increased sharply from that time to now. Many that he saw were burns, brands from hot iron pressed against the skin, and more still were sharp cuts inflicted by whips. There was no doubt in Sokolov’s mind that Corvo had been heavily abused and tortured in Coldridge. Six months in hell, he couldn’t imagine it. When he saw Corvo’s chest, dotted with poorly healed burns and crisscrossed in scars he wondered if Utyrka wasn’t the worst place a person could end up. Perhaps that honor should be given to Coldridge, if you were unfortunate enough to be held by people who wanted something from you before you died.

“Do you have a needle and some thread?” Corvo asked. 

The questioned caught Sokolov off guard, he wasn’t expecting Corvo to ask him for anything like that. “Yes? I always have some in my medical kits. Why? That arm of yours can’t need stitches can it?” 

“No not my arm, I was going to patch your jacket. I can’t guarantee I’ll get all of the bloodstain out, but I can at least repair the tear.” 

Corvo took the spool of black thread and needle for Sokolov and set to work at patching the jacket. “Didn’t know you could sew,” Sokolov remarked casually and went back to work at his station, his form bent over a microscope. 

“We were all trained to in the Serkonan Navy,” Corvo replied. “But I knew before that, my mother sewed. It was how she earned coin. It’s a good skill to have, everyone should know.” 

Sokolov grunted in agreement and focused on the bacteria samples he had under the scope. There was a flash of guilt because this wasn’t plague related, but he refused to put all of his other research on hold. He reasoned that because they didn’t know the complete vector process any work was plague work. They sat in silence, Corvo sewing and Sokolov jotting down notes and switching culture slides out. Sometimes he found his eyes wandering over Corvo who was working diligently on fixing up the jacket. Though his eyes weren’t really drawn to Corvo, just his wings that sat neatly folded behind him. They were no longer than the man’s arms but they were so unique he couldn’t help but stare. 

Sokolov asked, “What do they feel like?” 

Corvo looked up and said, “You mean my wings right?” Sokolov nodded. “They’re strange for sure,” he replied. Corvo stretched his arms up and his wings out, the chair wasn’t very comfortable, he figured that would be a permanent thing in his life now. “It’s like having arms on your back, but no fingers, no hands. Just the arm part. And they don’t rotate quite the same as an arm.” He didn't know what else to say. “Feathers are annoying,” he added. “I wouldn’t put any research effort into growing them if I were you.” He folded them against his back and admitted to himself that he wasn’t being totally truthful. He just didn’t know how to explain the weird relation between fingers and the flight feathers, they were close but so different at the same time. 

\---

The sky was dark and grey as storm clouds swirled ominously above the city. Corvo lifted his face to the sky just in time to be greeted by a few stray raindrops. He sighed and walked through the camp. Rain or no rain he still needed firewood. 

“We didn’t see you at breakfast,” a familiar voice said from behind him while he was in line for wood and water. 

“I wasn’t feeling that great Alexander,” Corvo said, and for once, it wasn’t a lie. “I decided to sit breakfast out.” 

“Niall, Mateo and Alice have mentioned feeling worse than normal. Saw ya’ come out of Sokolov’s lab, you ok?” 

“Yeah, yeah I think so. Nothing serious, I just think the lack of a good sleep is getting to me. Sokolov still says I’m clean, just tired.” 

“No one sleeps well here,” he said solemnly. “I worry about all of you, you know?” 

“You’re a good man,” Corvo said. “I am curious though, with how long you’ve been here, how many people in camp actually end up being infected?” 

“Many,” Alexander admitted. “In our “family” alone I’ve watched six get taken away to the back cages.” 

That was a lot to Corvo, he wondered if any of the weepers in the pen were people that were once in Alexander’s misfit family. They were handed their bundle of wood and Corvo got his canteen refilled before they walked over to the group’s tents. As they approached Corvo couldn’t shake the thought of seeing his friends behind a fence, bleeding from the eyes. He hoped it was just a cold, allergies even, anything other than the plage. 

“Ah! There you are Corvo!” Alice said brightly as they approached. “We missed ya’ at breakfast we did. Oversleep?” 

“Something like that,” Corvo replied and set down his pile of wood. He sat on it and put a hand out to feel the warmth of the small fire that one of them had started. “I had a rough night.” 

“You look like shit,” Niall commented with a smile. 

“So do you,” Corvo shot back but there was no bite to his words. “Did I miss anything while I was with Sokolov?” 

A chuckle spread around the group. “There’s never anything to miss,” Nathan said. “Sasha argued with Alice, Niall played peacemaker and Mateo listened quietly, it seems without his fellow Serkonan kin he’s not as talkative.” 

“I noticed that too!” Alice said. “He was quiet before you showed up, but I just thought he was shy, maybe he’s not confident when he can’t fall back and talk with someone privately?” 

“Maybe he just didn’t have anything to say?” Corvo suggested. Sometimes it’s hard to have something to say when you’re talking with locals. He couldn’t count how many conversations he just sat in on and listened to when he was fresh in the guard. “Where is he by the way? I don’t see him or Sasha.” 

“Mateo is out getting firewood,” Niall said, “and Sasha is off doing some thinking.” 

“Thinking?” Corvo questioned. He didn’t bring up the fact that he and Alexander were just at the supply station and they didn’t see Mateo, though perhaps he just slipped through the cracks. However, Corvo thought he should have been able to spot another Serkonan, they stood out in the sea of pale skinned Gristolians and Morlians. 

“Yeah she likes to be alone sometimes, to put her mind in place,” Alexander said. “I see you do the same Corvo.” 

He rubbed the back of his head and smiled. “I guess I do. Sometimes a person just needs to reflect, I can respect that.” 

“She thinks she’s going to die,” Nathan said. The turn in conversation surprised Alice her eyes widened. “I think deep down we all do.” 

She coughed harshly into her arm before replying, “No, no we can’t all think that. Because if we do then that’s it. I can’t let all the hope die, I can’t.” 

Alexander nodded. “I won’t either.” 

“You’re all just fooling yourselves,” Nathan said. 

Alexander said pointedly, “Better an old fool than a hopeless husk.” 

“You are all idiots,” Nathan said. “I don’t know why I still hang out with you lot.” 

“Awww Nathan, it’s because you love us,” Alice said, a bit of her former optimism slipping back in. 

“She has a point,” Corvo said, “you could always just leave, there has to be something you enjoy in our company.” 

“You’re just as bad as they are!” Nathan said. “I bet you even believe you’re leaving next week.” 

“I do,” Corvo said and crossed his arms. “Though, after hearing your stories it will most likely be my privilege that gets me-” 

He was cut off by Alice who gasped, “Your arm! Are you hurt?” 

Corvo flinched and shook his head. “No, no, it’s nothing.” He could see that she didn’t believe him so he pulled up the sleeve. “See? Nothing.” The cut had completely healed over in Sokolov’s lab, there was only the faintest of trace of a scar. 

“Then... did I just imagine that your coat was never bloodstained?” 

“Must have,” Niall said, but his eyebrows were knit together, he was clearly searching his own memory. 

“It does belong to Sokolov,” Alexander said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if it had more than a few spatterings of blood, that man works with the dead and dying after all.” 

“Makes sense,” Alice said. “I just thought I’d’ve seen it before now.” 

Corvo wanted desperately to change the subject but while he was thinking of something to change it to the dinner whistle blew instead. He hadn’t realized how long he had spent inside Sokolov’s lab. But he was hungry all the same and he followed the others into the line for food, thankful that they had dropped the topic of his sleeve for a far more interesting discussion on what they’d be serving for dinner. 

\--Day Six--

Rain started falling in the middle of the night. It woke Corvo up from his restless sleep and had him tucking his body into a ball. The tent he was under repelled the rain far more than he had thought it would, but the wind still blew stray drops in and made everything feel damp. Corvo growled and pulled the jacket tighter around his body and ducked his head under a wing. The feathers blocked out the rain and kept the air around him warm. _At least they’re good for something._

When dawn finally broke the rain had been reduced to a slow drizzle. He supposed he should be happy that the rains had finally come. They ushered in the end of spring and brought summer. Hopefully the water would wash the city clean. 

The mornings were still cold and Corvo didn’t want to get up, but he forced himself to sit up and shake off the jacket. He scooted out from under the tent and looked at his fire pit, not even a single ember remained burning. His woodpile was also too damp to ignite. Corvo glared up at the rain, as if it was someone he could blame for his misery. 

He stretched out, his body stiff and sore from being curled up so tightly over the night. It was too early for breakfast and he doubted the building was even open, one morning he’d have to check. Instead he sat and waited for the whistle, one wing he angled over his head as a makeshift umbrella. Corvo kept throwing on his dark vision to burn off some excess magic. He would do more tonight, he decided. He’d leave the camp again in search of dry blankets and to work off some of his energy. Part of him was also eager to get back out and survey the area once more. Something told him the Whalers were still out there, but he wasn’t sure if he would confront any if he spotted them. Last time hadn’t gone that well and he wasn’t eager to have a repeat encounter while he was low on supplies and his physical condition wasn’t the best. 

When he was cleared from quarantine he would have to come back and check the whole area. He would also have to make a few trips near the Flooded District. Those would have to be done on his own time, it was far too risky to bring a squad down there. Between the disgusting pile of rotting corpses and the numerous infected and weepers a squad would be better off injecting the disease directly into their blood. But Corvo could skirt the streets and stick to the rooftops for the whole trip. He needed to know if Daud was still around, the thought bothered him more than he liked to admit.

“I never should have spared him,” he said quietly to himself. The choice had weighed heavy on his mind for weeks. He felt like he had made a grave mistake, letting the man who had killed his Jessamine go free. Corvo closed his eyes and remembered that moment as clear as if it was happening now. His sword was pressed against the assassin’s neck, a growl in his own throat. But the man’s eyes, they were calm against his fury. Like he was expecting this, even worse, like he _wanted_ it. 

The choice seemed clear, he wasn’t going to give him anything that he wanted, even death. He stepped back and folded his sword and watched the man who killed his love vanish into thin air. Later he justified himself, he told himself that he didn’t kill him because he was done being a puppet for the Loyalists. This was his target, and his decision and he wasn’t an assassin. He reasoned that living in fear of his blade was worse than death, that he’d make sure Daud never had a good night's sleep for the rest of his life.

But in the end, he wondered if he was just being petty? Or perhaps he was a coward? Cold blooded murder wasn’t something he did all that often, and he didn’t see himself as the type of man who could kill someone begging for their life. Corvo cursed and opened his eyes. “He begged, he actually begged… after all he did…” he pressed a hand to his face and grimaced. “He begged and I let him go. Maybe palace life has made me soft…” 

A sharp whistle blew to drag Corvo out of his thoughts and signal breakfast. He stood and stretched again, feeling all his muscles loosen up. Then he folded his wings and put the jacket on. It was getting hard to have them folded up all day, he would come back to his camp barely hiding the discomfort in his features. He walked to the ledge and fixed his ponytail at the same time. A quick hand over his face confirmed that he was well past due for a shave, but he’d have to deal with it. It was a quarantine zone after all, he couldn’t expect to look presentable anymore. 

Once on the ground he spotted Sasha and walked over. “Morning,” he said in greeting.

She turned to him and nodded in response. There were dark bruises under her eyes and she seemed paler than average, her dark hair and eyes standing out in stark contrast. “Morning,” she said eventually as they reached the line. 

He almost asked if she was ok, but bit back the impulse and said, “Rain wasn’t too bad last night.” 

“For you maybe,” she said. “There’s no mud on roof.” 

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Corvo said awkwardly. On his way in he noticed that even the large community fire had been brought to its knees during the nighttime rainstorm. “Are they going to get the big fire started again?” 

“Hopefully we all need to dry out.” 

“So, uh, how did you end up in Gristol? Work? Family?” It wasn’t too rare for people from Tyvia to end up in Gristol, however most stayed towards the north and worked the farm fields. Serkonan and Morlian tradesmen were more common in Dunwall. 

“Personal reasons,” she replied stiffly at first. When she saw that Corvo was going to back off she added, “but not too personal for sharing. In my home country things are… rough.” That seemed to the general state of the Empire. “But Tyvia is strong, like blood ox. We don’t bend at the first gust of bad weather. I come from a small village, not a port town, no notable trade. I grew… restless at the routine I had been in. So I left.” 

“Just like that?” 

“Just like that.” 

He had to ask, “Do you regret it?” 

“I regret much, but my time in your land is not among those regrets. I’ve heard about you,” she said and shifted the topic away from herself. “You were hand picked by the Duke of Serkonos. Sent to Gristol as a favor. Do you regret that?” 

Corvo shook his head. “No, I don’t. Many things have happened since I left on that boat to Dunwall. Many tragedies, but also things I’m proud of, moments that I could never forget. I don’t regret it.” There was one thing Corvo regretted, but it wasn’t something for casual conversation. He wasn’t even sure he could have stopped it even if he knew it was coming. How would he have stopped people using Void magic if he still struggled with them after being marked himself.

“You regret the Empress, Jessamine.”

“You make it sound like I regret all of her. I don't. Just her death.” The line moved forward and Corvo waited for his porridge bowl. Today it was topped with three sad dried berries. Breakfast was definitely his favorite meal served. He wondered if there was change in chefs between the two. “It’s not exactly a happy topic.” 

“Oh yes. I see. She was special to you, was she not?” 

“She was my Empress,” Corvo said, the words sounded hollow on his lips. She was so much more than that.

“I see,” Sasha said. “You knew her long time yes?” 

“I did.” Corvo replied trying to stay even toned. “We were both children when we met.” 

Sasha nodded. “Tyvia starts their military early too. I cannot pretend to understand your pain. You were dishonored. I cannot believe you stayed.” 

Corvo frowned and thought about that. _Where would I go?_ The Empire was the only world he knew. “My loyalty to Empress Emily keeps me here. I won’t fail her like I did her mother.” 

“You know what is odd Corvo Attano?” 

“What?” 

Sasha looked at Corvo and the ice in her eyes faded slightly, “When you say that, I believe you.” She walked past Corvo to the table with the others. “I wish you luck, you’ll need it.” 

“Thank you.” 

Later that night Corvo prepared for another trip outside the camp walls. Much like before he walked the rooftop looking down at the camp. He memorized guard patterns and searchlights before he blinked across to the rooftop outside of the camp boundaries. 

Corvo was quick and skilled but he noticed his boots slipped far more on the slick damp tiles than he was used to. His wings shot out to balance his body instinctively when he lost his footing. He left the jacket back at camp, he didn’t want to risk ripping it again if he got into another fight. However this left his wings exposed to the open air. He knew no one could see him, it was dark and he blended in easily with the night. But there was a paranoia he knew he’d be living with for the rest of his life. There was always that small “what if?” that haunted him. 

It felt nice to expel the built up Void magic and stretch his legs. Dunwall was a beautiful city in a way that Karnaca wasn’t. What Dunwall lacked in clear skies it made up for in architecture; the buildings were stunning. Karnaca was pretty, in a paradise kind of way, with shining ocean water and white sands. Graceful gulls floated on blue skies. Dunwall had a smog problem, Jessamine always said it was mild but he came from Karnaca where he could see the stars in the sky clearly, not the case in the capital. But Dunwall had a diverse group people living within its walls and they were the real stars in the city. Some of his favorite moments were when he and Jessamine got a chance to leave the busy palace and walk the streets. 

He remembered being a young man fresh off the boat and how intimating the capital of the Empire was. It seemed impossibly dense and Corvo had never felt so out of place. He was never one for easing himself into any new situation and this wasn’t any different. After he walked the streets he learned that Dunwall wasn’t too different from Karnaca, he figured maybe all large port towns were the same. The rich built an area all for themselves, but they weren’t the lifeblood of the town, no that was in the working districts and the docks. Just like in Karnaca there was food and song and Corvo felt more at home there than he did up in the palace. 

Now he looked down fondly at Dunwall from the rooftops. This was home, all of it. His heart hurt at the sight it was in and he wanted to weep. To him it was impossible to imagine trading the life and the soul of this town so the rich could have a better view. Burrows was a fool and over half the city suffered for his twisted desires. Corvo lifted his head and stared out at the horizon. That wasn’t quite true, it wasn’t just Dunwall that suffered but all of Gristol. The rats moved out of the city and into the smaller farming towns and villages that surrounded the capital and people moved further. The Rat Plague spread across all of Gristol and they needed to find a cure and fast. 

Corvo was afraid that even a blockade wouldn’t be enough to stop it. Someone was bound to slip through and carry the sickness to the whole of the Isles. Corvo didn’t want to see towns burn, cities fall, or children in the streets crying blood. This couldn’t be end of the Empire. 

The city was silent as he moved through it. Dunwall seemed to get quieter by the days. He slipped into an abandoned apartment and rooted through the trash left behind. There wasn’t much that was salvageable so he left. The next three apartments he entered were like this. There was a chance they were empty before the plague hit, but there was an equal chance that they were not and had been looted. Corvo perched on a railing on the balcony of another apartment but hesitated in going inside. This one had a dim light on, he could see the glow from the glass door. He was surprised, this was a quarantine zone so the residents should have moved out. Perhaps a few were stubborn enough to stay behind? 

Corvo thought back to the small home he shared with his mother and sister. He wondered if he would have been able to convince his mother to leave if the dust ever got too bad in Batista? He wondered if he could convince himself to leave? The Attanos were known for their stubbornness. He shifted once on the railing and blinked away from the balcony, leaving nothing to indicate that he was even there, save for a small black feather. 

Finally after what seemed like hours of searching he managed to find a blanket that didn’t assault his nose on a forgotten mattress that wasn’t moldy. Corvo folded it and took a set of curtains with him as well. He left the apartment and hauled himself up onto the roof. He scanned the rooftops and debated going back early, there wasn’t much more he needed. But the mark on his hand still burned and begged to be used to turned his back on the direction of the camp and set out to search a few more buildings.

He leapt from rooftop to rooftop, his motions still a bit sluggish from staying at the camp and being out of practice, but he was able to clear gaps that most people wouldn’t be able to. He thought his wings would get in the way of his movements but they didn’t. They moved with his body not against it, almost like they’d been there his whole life. Corvo paused for a breath and plotted his next move. The buildings in this part of Dunwall had begun to spread out and the jumps were further and more dangerous. As he looked down at the next roof he clenched his fist and called the Void to his hand. But then he felt his wings shift and he paused to let the Void go. 

Flying. It was something that teased his mind for days since the Outsider left him with wings on his back. He looked at the jump again, it was much too far to jump naturally but a comfortable distance to blink to. Corvo wondered if he could make it. He shook his wings out to align the feathers and stretched them to their full length. They were just barely past his arms. Was it enough? He thought for sure they’d need to be bigger. But the temptation was building and he was convinced he could just blink if he started to fall. 

He just had to know and before common sense could catch up with him he jumped off the roof. Corvo was ok with the falling, he had been traversing the rooftops for a while and was used to the drop. But once he was actually in the air he wasn’t sure what to do. He had seen birds fly and it didn’t seem too hard. Just open the wings and flap, right? He opened them from his back and instantly cried out in pain as the wind wrenched them out and back. In reflex he pulled them in tight again against his shoulders and away from the air that threatened to tear them from his back. He tried once more to carefully open them again but the wind still pushed them back painfully. Experimentally he tried flapping them but could only manage one feeble downbeat before they were pulled out of his control. 

Corvo had now fallen past the roof he was aiming for and had to make a rushed blink to a balcony ledge. His arm caught the rail and he looped his other arm around it and pulled himself up. His wings fluttered uselessly trying to assist. With both feet firmly on the metal he took a deep breath. “Well,” he said flatly, “that didn’t work.” He folded his wings against his back and blinked up to another balcony then to the roof. He startled a group of crows and they took off into the night. As he watched his namesake fly away he felt a tug to join them. 

Perhaps one day, he decided. But not tonight. He wasn’t sure what went wrong or how to fix it. Practice was needed, but there wasn’t anyone who could teach him this but himself. Corvo decided they definitely needed to be bigger and stronger to hold him up, but that was a problem in itself. If they got any bigger he might not be able to hide them, even with a harness. So he’d have to choose between flight which is what they were made for, or purposefully keep them stunted. Grimly, he realized that amputation was still on the table. He would try the harness first before resulting to that.

It was nearing early morning when Corvo finally made it back to the quarantine camp. He landed softly on the rooftop, his hand burning from the use of Void magic. But he felt good, tired, but good. He didn’t bother to light a fire, instead he set down the bundle of cloth he had picked up which also contained a softer shirt he lifted from a house for sleeping. Corvo placed the blanket inside the tent and then put the stolen curtains up on either end to act as a wind, rain, and light block. Satisfied he took off his old shirt and slipped on the new one, only to hiss in annoyance and pull it off. It needed holes in the back. Nothing could be simple anymore it seemed. After altering the shirt he opened the tent and slipped inside, hopefully, for a decent night's rest. 

\--Day Eight--

“Corvo,” Sokolov’s voice sounded from the other end of the laboratory. “You cannot keep sneaking in here.” 

Corvo looked up from his spot on a couch by a window. He took a bite of an apple and shrugged. “You’re the one who keeps the windows unlocked.” His ears picked up more than just Sokolov’s voice and he set the book he was reading down on his chest. “What’s in the bag?” He asked. “A thousand drowning kittens?” He could hear the cries of bone charms, lots of bone charms. Each one calling out a seperate high frequency that quickly became a mess of sound. “The sound is awful. Didn’t take you for a bone charm collector.” 

“So there is a sound, interesting.” He set the bag on the counter and walked over. “Stop eating my fruit and come over here. If you’re going to freeload you might as well do some work.” 

Corvo didn’t protest and got up to follow Sokolov to the table. He couldn’t lie to himself, he was a little curious to see what the scientist was up to. There Sokolov poured out all of the bone charms onto the table. Corvo whistled, “Overseers would have a field day if they found someone with this many charms.” Now free from the bag the screaming became almost unbearable for Corvo. Quickly he waved a hand over them to silence the noise. “Much better,” he said.

“What did you do just now?”

“I claimed them all so they would stop shrieking. Typically a bone charm or rune sings, it’s not a beautiful sound, but it’s not unpleasant either. The song leads us to the charm. However in this group, each one was trying to out sing the other and it just turned into a dreadful wail. So I claimed them all.” 

Sokolov’s brows dipped down. “Now that won’t do at all. I was going to have you tell me what each charm meant, what it was telling you, so I could record it and document it. But I can’t do that if you’ve made them mute.” 

Corvo shook his head and said, “Not mute, just quiet. They’ll speak if I pick one up.” He pawed through the pile and pulled one out. “This one,” he said, “for example says it will give me focus between pistol shots and improve my accuracy.” 

“How is that even possible?” 

“I don’t question it anymore. Magic, I guess.” Corvo placed that one aside and picked out another. “This one doubles the energy I get from eating fresh food. This one here claims that I will be able to hold my breath underwater for longer.” 

“Fascinating, absolutely fascinating. Can anyone harness these powers?” 

“I’m not sure. The Outsider told me that only marked can unlock the powers of the runes. However bonecharms have been a seafaring tradition for hundreds of years. It’s possible that unmarked people can benefit from the charms. Maybe just not as strongly, or all of the abilities granted. Like,” Corvo pulled out a particular charm that hummed loudly, “this one for example will reduce the strain on my body from using Void magic. If you don’t have access to the Void and its magic I doubt this charm will do anything for you.” 

Sokolov grabbed a notebook and started to scribble down some of the common symbols then proceeded to hand charms to Corvo and ask what it promised. On each charm he made a little engraving of a number and matched it to what he wrote down. “I’ve wanted to do research on the Void and it’s related items for years but never had the means. I do now.” 

Corvo shrugged his shoulders and said, “Glad to help, but I would rather your effort be on finding a cure to the plague.” 

“One can only work on something without rest for so long,” Sokolov sighed. “I, as well as others, have been at this for nearly two years now. And we aren’t any closer to a cure. We have a weak “vaccine” if you can even call it that, but no cure and nothing long term. Just an elixir to stave it off if you’re already healthy.” 

“What about all the technology you invented for Burrows? That had to have taken time away too.” 

“Oh it did and I regret it. The stuff I made for that man,” Sokolov’s eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head. “I should never have given him a single thing. But alas, my mistakes didn’t affect the other scientists at the academy and in Dunwall. They were hard at work too until they fell victim to the very disease they fought to cure.” Sokolov chanced a glance to Corvo and added, “The Academy has shut down by the way, not sure if you heard about that.” 

“I didn’t. What happened?” 

“Too many professors, doctors, and natural philosophers fell ill or died due to plague research. We’ve lost many bright lights in the intellectual world. As each one goes out I fear that we will not recover.” 

Corvo nodded and continued with the task of listing off what the bone charms promised. As each one passed from his hand he took mental notes of the craftsmanship. Most appeared to be carved from whale bone but a few were clearly from rats and a few were fragile bird bones. There were thickly carved ones with fur decorating and complimenting the bone and graceful ones that looked like they were made for jewelry. One he held in his hand sung in an accent that reminded Corvo of home so sharply he flinched as if he’d been stung. 

Serkonos, the island of his birth. He smiled and ran his hand over the charm, examining it more closely, it had a marking on it he had not yet seen. When it told him of what power it held he could hardly believe. “This one,” Corvo said in awe, “this one is telling me that I will always have wind to soar on whenever this charm is on me.” 

“Soar on… it means your wings right?” 

“Yeah,” Corvo said and marveled at the charm. He had never seen one like this before, it sang to him in the sounds of his past and no charm had ever seemed sweeter to his ears. There was a small feather carved on it and filled in with black ink. Corvo thumbed over the symbol and withdrew a leather cord from around his neck. Normally he kept his charms on a leather belt he wore across the chest, but he left that up by his tent. This charm also seemed to be made with the intent of having a cord or chain thread through it. “I’m keeping this one,” Corvo said, it wasn’t a question, he was taking it. He didn’t know why, he just felt like he had to.

“This begs a question Corvo,” Sokolov said, “was this charm designed for someone like you in mind? Or did it adapt its magic to suit you?” 

“I don’t know,” Corvo said truthfully. He still had the charm in his grasp. “The Outsider “gifted” me these wings and I haven’t heard of anyone else having something similar.” 

“Bone charms are old,” Sokolov said and stroked his chin. “It’s possible that there was, or is a group of winged people on an island near Pandyssia.” 

“Wouldn’t we have seen them by now?” Corvo couldn’t imagine a whole island of flying people. 

Sokolov snorted. “Corvo there is much we do not know about the world. We put on a great show of understanding but we are but ants in the wider world.” He handed Corvo another charm and asked him to continue describing their uses. 

“Sokolov,” Corvo said as he took the new charm and noticed it sang a song that wasn’t like the one around his neck, the one from Serkonos. “That last charm seemed Serkonan in its sound. And that reminded me of something. Wasn’t the first case of this plague recorded in Serkonos?” Sokolov nodded. “Has anyone tried getting the records from that time? There’s got to be a way to beat it written down somewhere.” 

“We’ve tried to outsource information from the not only the Grand Serkonan Library but also the Royal Conservatory but they refuse to send documents or copies during the embargo and blockade.” 

“Do you think there would be anything in those records?” Corvo asked. “Is it worth it for me to write to Theodanis and ask for them? You are the Royal Physician and Theodanis was fond of me, my weight as Royal Protector and Spymaster could be used as leverage as well.” 

“You would do that?” 

“I was already drafting a letter of aid to Duke Theodanis if we could not find a cure by the Month of Darkness. I am worried that our people will not survive another winter without access to traded goods.” 

“If you would write your letter before that extreme and request a small amount of aid as well as some documents… it’s possible we could crack the disease open and develop a cure before the first winds of High Cold hit.”

Corvo thought about it. “If I ask for aid early the stocks could be depleted before winter hits its stride, but if I wait like planned we risk a refusal during the hardest months of the year.” 

“If Piero and I make headway and discover a cure out of those old records the blockade could be lifted and trade resumed in time to purchase boatloads of supplies and distribute them.” 

He considered it. “Travel by the fasted oil powered ship is two weeks between the Dunwall harbor and harbor at the opening of the Grand Serkonan Canal. If Theodanis grants us aid and the documents we could quarantine the food sent with the last of our guards.” Corvo put the charm down and started to think about ration amounts. “If we could hold out until the Month of Darkness then we could disperse the quarantined supplies throughout Dunwall while we appeal for the end of the blockade and a resume of trade. It could work.” 

“Provided Theodanis agrees to help us.” 

“He has to,” Corvo said knowing full well that Theodanis didn’t have to do anything. He looked into Sokolov’s eyes and knew he could not hide his desperation. “If he does not, I do not know what will happen.” 

“I am sure you have already gone down all the avenues of worst case scenario, Attano.” Sokolov wondered if Corvo’s worst case scenarios were as terrible as his. He didn’t want to know.

Corvo nodded. “I’ll write to him as soon as I’m out of this camp.”

\--Day Nine--

It was after dinner and Corvo was sitting with his group of friends. Like the previous days Sasha was absent from the group but he had begun to realize that was normal for her. She socialized when she wanted to and not a moment more. Alice on the other hand loved to chatter away. Even when a coughing fit made that difficult. 

Corvo had taken to wearing the face masks Sokolov had given him, he couldn’t tell if he was just being paranoid or if the coughing had gotten worse in this area of the camp. Alice, Niall, and Nathan had started coughing more than they had. Niall claimed his cough and watery eyes came from a spring allergy, a statement Corvo wanted to believe but didn’t deep down. 

Just two days ago a whole family three rows over was pulled out and placed into the weeper pen when their eyes started to leak blood. Everyone was acutely aware that the longer they spent in the quarantine camp the higher their chances of infection were. Corvo’s skin crawled while his stomach twisted itself in knots with his anxiety. He didn’t want to become infected, he didn’t want his friends to be either but there wasn’t anything he could do but sit and wait. It was agonizing. 

“What’s that old palace like?” Alice asked to drag Corvo out his thoughts and into the conversation. “You gotta have a few stories yeah? You lived there for many years right?” 

“I did,” Corvo said. “It’s…” he struggled to find words. “It’s not… that great actually, if I’m being honest. Dunwall Tower is cold, it doesn’t feel like a home.” 

“But it’s nice ain’t it?” Alice pressed. 

“Yes,” Corvo admitted. “The bedroom I was assigned is spacious, the linens are of high quality, there’s large water tanks for hot showers and maids do all the cleaning. It is the residence of the Empress of the Isles after all. But it’s not…” 

Mateo said, “It’s a house not a home?” 

“Yeah. It’s fine, more than fine, if what you’re looking for is clean halls and open chambers. If you judge a home by it’s furnishing than Dunwall Tower is second to none. But there’s no warmth there. The majority of the halls are empty, the guest rooms vacant, the great hall hardly used, the foyer is just open and uninviting.” Corvo sighed. “What am I doing? Here am I am complaining to you all about living in the Void-damned palace! I must sound like the biggest snob in all the Isles.” What he didn’t want to admit was that one of the only things keeping the palace warm was gone. “It wasn’t all bad,” he managed to say. “Serving as the Royal Protector was enjoyable and I don’t regret it.” 

Alice smiled and said, “Well maybe I should go get a job as a maid and liven up those dreary halls!” 

Corvo chuckled and said, “You would be a welcome addition, I promise you that.” 

“You came from the Batista district in Karnaca right?” Mateo asked. 

“I did.” 

“How did you deal with the culture shock? I’ve been having a rough go at it myself. Gristol just isn’t anything like Serkonos.” 

Corvo shrugged. “There was more than just culture shock for me, but adapting to a style of living I had never been exposed to before. Your accent seems Northern Serkonos. Cullero area?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then you’re probably familiar with the way the rich would strut around on vacation. How they’d look at you like you were some sort of subhuman or heretic. Imagine suddenly having to be one of them and be expected to look down on people you associated with because it’s expected of you now.” Corvo frowned. ““Lord Attano, that’s what you are now, you don’t have time to fraternize with those outside of the palace,” or “Please at least try to act like you’re respectable and worthy of your title”. I was nineteen it was almost too much for me to handle. I had to learn a new language, new duties, and a whole new way of carrying myself and addressing others. Couldn’t even eat right according to the tutors. Not that Gristolian food was ever any good.”

Mateo and Niall burst into laughter. “It’s so dull and tasteless!” Mateo agreed.

“I swear,” Niall said, “they only know how to mash potatoes into paste, it's horrible.” 

“Void forbid they touch a pepper,” Mateo said. “Or use a spice that isn’t salt.” 

Alice elbowed Niall and chimed in with, “Oh and if you dare add a little flavor to a cut of meat you’re a savage! Sorry but I like to melt the fats on my meat and sear the outside. Excuse me for not wanting to eat tough, overcooked, slabs of unseasoned meat.”

“The least Gristol could do is use the spices they stole from the other Isles,” Niall said with a laugh. 

Corvo said, “No they couldn’t possibly do that! Mixing in anything foreign would tarnish their purity! Food with taste is what the foreign street vendors serve and they couldn’t possibly eat something that the common workfolk eat. Once Jessamine and I danced a traditional Serkonan dance at a ball and there was nearly a riot.” 

“You danced with the Empress?” Alice asked, she leaned forward, her eyes wide.

Corvo smiled at the memory. “I did, many times. She rarely danced, but sometimes the event demanded it. As Royal Protector and a Lord of the Court it wasn’t too out of line to accept a dance or two. We both hated the slow, lifeless traditional Gristolian dances.” 

Niall said, “You don’t look the dancing type, I thought you were just a bodyguard?” 

Mateo quickly interjected, “Oh dance runs deep in the blood of every Serkonan. We all know a few and you never forget. Dance is an expression and Serkonans have a lot to express.” 

“It’s also important to learn dance if you’re going to do anything with a sword.” Corvo explained, “Dance steps and sword stances and steps are very similar. Being light on your feet helps with both and dance teaches a tighter control of your body.” 

“I see,” Niall said. “There are dances in Morley but it wasn’t ever that important to the people. We placed more value in songs and stories.”

“And food,” Alice added. “Nothing chases away the dreary wet feelings like a big bowl of hearty stew.” 

“Ha!” A voice sounded behind them. “You think your Isle has best food and stories? Tyvia is best no competition.” Sasha sat down next to Corvo.

“Oh yeah?” Alice challenged friendly.

“You have not lived until you share bowl of Tyvian bear and bean soup around a fire and listen to old traditional Tyvian folk stories.”

“Hmmm,” Alice narrowed her eyes and said, “you know what this means? When this is over we’ll have to have a party, share our dishes and find out if we’re all talk or not.” 

Nathan chuckled. “Are us boring Gristolians invited?” 

Niall nodded. “I encourage it,” he said. “I’m sure you have to have something that isn’t bland, something from the heart.” 

“I do have an old recipe for potato pancakes that is to die for. And grandma taught me to can apples into a wonderfully sweet and chunky sauce. Oh!” He exclaimed, “and dad’s beer battered fish!” 

“Beer batter?” Niall questioned. “That sounds… interesting. Like something we should have come up with.” 

Nathan laughed. “It does sound Morlish doesn’t it? Yeah it’s really good, you coat the fish in a normal frying batter but you add beer to it, most of it cooks off but you’re left with a good residual taste.” 

“What about you Corvo?” Alice asked. “What are you bringing to the party?” 

Corvo shrugged. “I wasn’t aware I was invited.” 

“Of course you are,” she replied. “Unless you think you’re too good for us?” 

He shook his head, “Of course not,” he said with a smile. “But there’s a problem. I’m a lousy cook.” 

“I have a hard time believing that,” Mateo said.

Corvo could only shrug. “Mother did all of the cooking when we were kids, I was too busy running wild in the streets of Batista to pick anything up. Then after the Blade Verbena things moved fast. I was sixteen and carted off to the Navy and then two years later sent north to Gristol to serve in the City Watch’s palace guard. They don’t exactly teach cooking in the Watch,” he said. “When I walk the streets, sometimes I smell the food from the street vendors and I’m reminded of home so sharpy.” The others all nodded, they experienced the same thing but with different scents of home. “I regret that I never learned any of the family recipes. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to end up where I am now. I miss it dearly.” 

Mateo put a hand on Corvo’s shoulder. “I know my family isn’t yours, but I’d love to have you over when this mess is settled. Show you a thing or two in the kitchen. Maybe you can bring some Serkonan dishes into that empty palace of yours?” 

Corvo locked eyes with Mateo and said sincerely, “I would love that, more than you know.” 

“Well,” Alice said, “if you can’t bring any food maybe you’d like to bring some of that dance you talked up earlier? Show all of us why you think it’s the best yeah?” 

“Hey I never said it was the best, but I wouldn’t object,” Corvo said. 

Alexander elbowed Corvo gently and said, “Why not give us a preview of what’s to come?” 

“You mean dance? Now? Here?” Corvo looked around, the quarantine camp wasn’t exactly what he thought of as a prime dancing environment. He put a hand to his chest to make sure his leather strap was in place to hold his wings back. “I…” he looked around, there was technically enough space to do some solo dances. 

Mateo started to clap his hands in a steady four beat rhythm. “Come on Corvo,” Niall encouraged. 

“Yeah show us Serkonan dance,” Sasha encouraged from beside him.

Corvo rolled his eyes but got to his feet. The evening air was chilly but the fire was warm and could feel the rhythm Mateo was clapping like a second heartbeat. He didn’t have the right shoes for this, but in the soft dirt it wouldn’t have mattered. He lifted his arms above his head and clasped his hands together. He tapped his right foot to the beat before stepping out with his left and placing his heel on the ground and quickly retracting it and swinging it back behind him where he planted it and pivoted. His right leg swung out along with his arm before bringing both back and and tapping out with his left foot again. Someone in the background cheered, probably Alice. 

Other people in the tents around started to clap with the beat that Mateo had started. This freed him up to go to his tent where he pulled out a small drum. “Corvo!” He shouted and started drumming, upping the tempo. 

Corvo flashed a smile and picked up the speed of his footfalls. He would alternate which ones he stepped out with and tapped on the ground. His arms swung from his torso back up above his head and down and out with a spin. He could hear more cheers as people hooted. Corvo took a moment to busy his hands with his hair tie, and pulled his hair back and up out of his eyes. It was messy, but there was no one here to judge. 

Alice cheered and stood up and grabbed Corvo’s arm. “To the big fire!” She said, excitement glinting in her eyes. “There’s more room there no?” 

“I thought this was supposed to be a preview?” He laughed but allowed her to tug him into the open space beside the main fire. The small group that had formed around them at their tents followed. Mateo got up and kept drumming along with the clapping. Corvo was never one to feel self conscious but it had been a while since he had danced in anyway besides swinging Emily around. 

Mateo passed the drum to another Serkonan man who had joined the crowd and stood up. _“Corvo, may I join you? Dance duos?”_

_“It’s been a while, if you don’t mind a rookie you’re welcome to join in.”_ Corvo stood opposite Mateo and placed his hands above his head to clap to the right while stepping in the same direction. Mateo took a stance that mirrored Corvo’s movements. They circled each other clapping and moving to the second beat in the four beat pattern before Mateo stepped forward and kicked his legs out tap a faster tempo out between drum beats. Corvo gave him some space to work and moved around him, he made sure his major movements fell on the second beat to keep up the pace set before. 

Before they realized it others had joined in. Corvo could hear the sound of a guitar being plucked to a familiar street dance beat. The drum changed tempo to compliment the guitar and the dancers followed the change in a fluid motion. More cheering erupted as Corvo and Mateo looped around each other. Eventually Corvo reached out for Mateo’s hand and spun him close. _“I’m the lady Corvo?”_

 _“If you want to be,”_ he teased and stepped with Mateo. Their legs almost seemed to tangle together from an outside perspective but they didn’t collide or step on each other. Together they swung up and down the space that had cleared out for their dance. For a moment Corvo forgot he was wearing a mask, forgot he was in the middle of a quarantine camp, and forgot that there was a plague raging around them threatening to sweep them up as swiftly as their dancing. For a moment he was able to imagine himself back in the dusty heat of Batista, with the thrum of the street bands drums and steccato plucking of a guitar coursing through his veins like blood. He was dancing with his father, with his mother, swinging his sister around as everyone clapped. When he closed his eyes he could almost smell sweat and grime of his neighbors and the sharp scent of pepper and grilled meats. 

He broke off from Mateo and stepped aside to catch his breath. When he looked he saw all manner of folk dancing around the fire. Some were Serkonan dancing traditional songs with partners or on their own, but many others were just moving to the beats and laughing. He saw kids run around the adults and try to imitate their leg movements. Alice was dancing with Nathan, Corvo could tell both didn’t have a clue what to do but were smiling anyway. Niall was doing a dance that had steps that Corvo recognized but a flare all his own. Sasha hung by the drummer and clapped and swayed to the beat. A woman brought a violin out and started to play it while she bobbed and weaved between the dancers. 

“This is nice,” Alexander said as he walked to stand near Corvo. 

“It is,” Corvo replied and wiped some sweat from his face. “I wasn’t aware anyone had instruments. Not what I expected in a plague camp.” 

“A few lucky ones were able to bring some possessions into the camp, and music has always been regarded as a cure for just about anything.” Alexander looked out at all the people who had gathered around the fire. “I think this is the most smiles I’ve seen.” Corvo had to agree. 

There was a woman beside them who didn’t seem to share the others enthusiasm for the event taking place. “Of course it was those dirty Serkonans who started this. Is there anywhere they won't whore themselves out at?” 

Corvo spun on the lady and smirked. “Not enjoying yourself?” He asked as innocently as he could. 

“How can I? There’s not a proper dancer to be found in this mess.” 

“Well,” Corvo said and gave a quick twirl with his arms outstretched. “In case you haven’t noticed, this isn’t the Boyle estate so you’ll have to lower your standards a bit.” 

She scoffed, “You Serkonan dogs aren’t dancing, you’re seducing, learn the difference. There isn’t a standard low enough to qualify what you’re doing as dance.” 

Corvo laughed. “Can a dance not also seduce? But what we do is more than dance,” he said. “It's an expression of our hearts, of our souls. We dance with the beats of the ocean waves crashing against the shore, we move with the heat and fire of the sun on the sands, and our music flys free to remind of us of the air and sky even when we’re deep underground in the mines.” 

“Well it’s atro-” 

Corvo extend his hand to her. “Lighten up,” he said. “You can have all the “proper” dance you like when the plague blows through. But tonight, just let yourself move.” The lady looked from Corvo to his hand then to the people all swinging and laughing around the fire. “It won’t kill you, I promise.” She rolled her eyes and took Corvo’s hand. He moved back into the mass of dancers and tried to throw more traditional Gristolian dance moves into his steps. Eventually he got the woman to dance along and before long she was spinning and laughing with the rest. Corvo smiled as she left his side to join some other people in a tight circle moving around and throwing their hands up and down to the beat. 

Mateo caught Corvo’s eye again and he took his hand for another round. As they danced Corvo felt a hand grab his shoulder. He stopped and turned. There was a guard from the City Watch. “Something wrong?” Corvo said and moved away from the crowd and the fire. His heart was racing from the activity. 

“Lord Attano, do you think this is wise?” 

In the firelight Corvo recognized the guard as Lucy, one of the two stationed at the entrance when he had first arrived. She was new to the guard, if he remembered right. “Yes,” Corvo said and looked back at the crowd of people having fun. “Look, they’re behind a tall fence surrounded by arc pylons, they aren’t going anywhere. Even if this somehow turns into a riot they aren’t at a risk of escape.”

“And you don’t think this will get out of control?” 

“It’s a dance,” Corvo said. “No, I don’t. Everyone here is basically skin and bones, I’d be amazed if this keeps up for another half hour. They don’t have the energy to do much more.” He pulled his mask down to take a few breaths of unobstructed air. “Enjoy the energy, be happy for them. They all think they’re going to die anyway. Let them have this.” 

“Lord Attano I didn’t take you for the type, I’ve never seen you like this.” 

Corvo laughed. “What? Dancing?” 

“No, smiling, positive.” 

“Oh.” Corvo ran a hand through his hair and tightened his ponytail. “Well, as you can imagine being the Royal Protector doesn’t leave me much time for fun… I have an image to uphold and the events of late haven’t left me with many reasons to smile.” He thought about the times he did smile and realized most were behind closed doors. When he could sit at tea parties with Emily or have Jessamine all to himself. Those days he missed, sometimes painfully. “Maybe someday things will improve and we won’t need to frown all day.” 

“Maybe…” Lucy said. She didn’t seem convinced. “If this plague doesn’t destroy us all. Attano things have gotten worse since you’ve been in here. I don’t know how that’s possible but it’s happened. We might be at the end.” 

“Then that’s all the more reason to enjoy nights like this.” The fire reflected in his eyes. “If we truly are at the end then there might not be many more opportunities like this. I advise you to spend time with those you love. You don’t know when their time, or yours, will run out.” 

“Is that an order, Lord Protector?” 

He gently elbowed her. “You don’t need an order from me to enjoy your family.” 

Corvo turned to leave and Lucy asked, “Where are you going?” 

“To my tent,” he said with a wave. “I’m beat, going to watch from up there for a bit then go to bed.” 

“Good night Lord Attano.” 

Nobody was watching Corvo as he approached the wall of the building he slept on. He expended some Void magic and blinked to the roof. He knelt down by his tent and placed some wood into the fire pit he made. Tonight it looked like he was burning the remains of a fence. The fire took a few tries to catch, but as soon as it did Corvo walked to the ledge and sat down. He let his legs hang over the side. From his vantage point he could still see the main fire and the group of people. 

“Did you have fun Corvo?” Corvo tried not to flinch at the Outsider’s voice. “It certainly looks like fun,” he said and approached the ledge. The god didn’t sit but he did step up beside Corvo.

“I don’t think you should be out in the open like that, what if someone sees you?” 

“Humans only see what they want to see. Even if someone did turn their eyes up here they would see a million other possibilities before the truth of what they actually saw.” 

“What do you want?” Corvo asked, wanting to get to the point.

“Do I need a reason to check up on one of my Marked?” Corvo shrugged. “You signed away your right to privacy the moment you accepted my Mark.” 

“You didn’t mention that. Your contract doesn’t exactly come with a fine print section.” 

“Would you have read it if it did?” The Outsider asked. “I’m glad to see you’ve taken my previous words to heart,” he said and changed the subject.

“Get some perspective, right? I’m not sure if I fully understood what you meant, but I’m getting there.” 

The Outsider nodded. He watched the humans down below as they continued to dance. It was a drastic change from the last time he looked down on them from this rooftop. He was pleased. “Indeed you are. I was worried my suggestion would go unheeded. That you would ignore others to protect yourself. You still continue to prove me wrong, to surprise me.”

“I think I know how to help them,” Corvo said. “If I ever get out of here.” 

“You will,” the Outsider said. “I’ve seen a lot of people lose themselves when presented with wealth. Even you, Corvo, are not immune to this. I am pleased to see that you still know who you are after a decade and a half with royalty. Do not forget where you came from, it will be your greatest ally in the worst days yet to come.” 

“Is Dunwall done for?” 

The Outsider stepped down from the ledge and said, “You know I cannot answer that. What I see isn’t the future, it’s a blending of futures, always turning, always combining and separating. The scope of your question is too vague. Done for? In what sense my Corvo? Your Empire’s reign? Your people? The land itself? The city? It’s buildings? There are hundreds of futures in which this city falls to much worse than plague. Some of those futures even have you at the helm. A vehicle for death and destruction.” 

“Impossible.” 

“Nothing is impossible Corvo. Everything has a chance of transpiring. Even the darkest of the dark. But I think that this future will be bright, that it will have an outcome you consider favorable.” 

Corvo considered the words being said to him. He was trying hard not to dismiss the Outsider’s lectures as meaningless babble. He pulled out the cord from under his shirt, the one with the unique bone charm that dangled from it. 

“Ah, an interesting trinket is it not?” The Outsider said. 

Corvo turned around and found the Outsider had his back to him. “How did you know?” 

“It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen charms of that design. Thousands? Or mere hundreds of years? Time blurs when you’ve been alive as long as I have you see.” The Outsider walked towards Corvo’s fire. “I will not deny that those people provided me the inspiration for your latest gift. However, your focus should not be on the past, there’s something much more important approaching. A people far more interesting with the power to overturn the whole Empire of the Isles.” The Outsider stepped into Corvo’s fire and vanished in a swirl of flames and purple smoke. “Do not allow yourself to become distracted,” his final words echoed around Corvo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I know I said I would be out of the quarantine camp by this chapter... But I still have three more scenes to go and this chapter was nearing thirty pages and I couldn't do an update that was longer than that. 
> 
> For people new to my writing, this is a familiar author note. I always seem to overshoot my length projections for certain parts. 
> 
> However, I hope this part was still entertaining? I'm dropping some plot stuff, building some characters and some world info. But I do realize that the majority of this chapter is conversation, which can be really boring for a lot of people. I apologize for that. The whole dance sequence was something I've wanted to do for a while, but I had no idea how to describe it. Dancing I think has to be the hardest thing I've ever written. I ended up watching about an hour of dance videos, flamenco, paso doble, some swing because I fucking love swing even tho they aren't dancing that, but just to get an idea of the movements or beat patterns. Not sure if I succeeded. I'm not a dancer. 
> 
> Sokolov with the bone charms was another earlier scripted scene I wanted to do in this section. It was supposed to be combined with Piero getting the harness fitted on Corvo, but I decided to split the two events up.
> 
> Not too much else to say here. Sorry for the wait, I was working on some other projects in-between this one. I also had life stuff, like college labs and finals and work. I also binge played all of Prey 2017 and that took up some time. Hopefully the next chapter will be out very soon, since I only have a few scenes to go and it'll be much shorter than this one.
> 
> If you enjoyed the chapter let me know. If you hated the chapter also let me know. I love getting feedback and hearing from readers, as you're probably aware.  
> PS: if you like transformation stuff I wrote a short CorvoSider called Molded By His Hands, its in my works section.


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